


Blue Rose Crown: Stained Petals

by Giripops



Series: Unalome Mythos [2]
Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Based on Press Your Number Era, Belligerent Sexual Tension, Blood and Gore, Cameos, Drugs but no druggies, Explicit Language, F/M, Gen, Guns, I Don't Even Know, I have too many triggers, Implied Sexual Content, Late add, Literally everyone is swearing again, M/M, Mafia AU, Mentions of Big Bang, Mentions of VIXX - Freeform, Multi, Other, Psychopathic Tendencies, Sarcasm, Sass, Slavery, Slow Burn, Squint If You Must, Steamy Romance, The Author Has No Control, The Author Is Foul Mouthed, The Author Regrets Nothing, Triggers warnings everywhere, Violence, Warnings Are Needed, What Have I Done
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2020-12-14 15:33:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 98,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21018098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Giripops/pseuds/Giripops
Summary: They Learnt That Their Blue Could Be Stained With Red.With Min’s Identity Stolen, He Was Stained Red With His Desperation.With Kai’s Purpose Redefined, He Was Stained Red With His Determination.With Tae’s New Gamble, He Was Stained Red With His Greed.Fate’s Crown Is Clutched Between Three Sets Of Unrelenting And Bleeding Hands – The Gushing Red Dyes Everything – Streaking Broken Skin As Their Desperate Grasps Tightens To Hold Onto What They Desire.





	1. P R O L O G U E

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE : THIS IS DIRECT CONTINUATION OF PLUCKED PETALS. THIS IS NOT A STAND ALONE ADDITION TO THIS SERIES.
> 
> When the Lee Heir is no more the person that everyone thought they once knew and the Lee Manor is threatened to be toppled, Kai is forced into old underhanded methods to find the real Lee Min and stake his claim upon the very household he swore his life to. 
> 
> Tae, who has found comfort and serenity wrapped in riches, finds that he is about to be caught up in an unwelcomed whirlwind that is the Emperor’s Son who looms over the Lee Household.
> 
> Now Tae has to fight to hold onto the very thing he stole from Min. 
> 
> Between battling internal politics with Kai, Min’s snapping words in the darkest corners of his mind and the imminent danger of the Emperor’s Sons daring to destroy the Undercity’s Mafia; Tae struggles with blurring lines and the challenges of his own life as it melds with Min’s.

P R O L O G U E:

Blood had been pooling rapidly on the dusty concrete as it dripped from Oh Sehun’s limp and bound form that swayed precariously in the dark basement.

_Kai…_

He shut his eyes against the pain lancing through him. The raw twine binding him was cutting into his legs through his sweatpants and into his bare arms but that was a mere irritation that paired with the throbbing sensation in his head and the smarting sensation blooming over his bare torso.

“Not nodding off, are you?” A man’s voice barked the question as he threw a violent hook at Sehun. Sehun choked, bile rushing up his throat and burning the insides, threatening to make him throw up the foul acid. He tasted it, even on his bloodied tongue. He expected his stomach to lurch once more as they let him spin after the abuse but he was staggered to a stop as someone had reached out, grasping at the knot that sat on top of his upturned sneaker soles to anchor Sehun. 

“Dae Hyun-sshi, surely he must be a little tired. We should give him a breather.” Another man’s voice echoed off the walls, reflecting malicious amusement.

_Fuck you and this Dae Hyun guy._

“Like hell we will, Seung Hwan. He wouldn’t shut up on his way down here and now he’s suddenly so determined to keep his mouth shut?” He spat the words as he gripped at Sehun’s hair, jerking him from his stillness and angled his head to the side painfully so, making Sehun’s eyes slit open.

“Could it be that you’re so close to throwing up?” Dae Hyun taunted.

Sehun shut his eyes once more, feeling more blood skating across his forehead and face before it fell to the floor while the two men’s voices faded from his brain. He couldn’t comprehend the gist of their conversation but he was sure it definitely had to do with the sharp kick in his solar plexus before the heavy impact scrapped upward to press into Sehun’s stomach and abdomen.

Sehun gagged before retching up bile onto the floor of the basement. The other two men has easily side stepped Sehun and the splatter with noises of disgust, ignoring the way he was coughing violently and gasping while cold sweat slicked over his skin immediately. Sehun had tried to block out the rancid smell but it was overwhelming all his senses so Sehun shut his eyes once more, trying to purposely dull his senses.

“Get the bucket.”

_Wha?_

Sehun hadn’t registered until he was shuddering violently that they had poured icy water over him. He blinked slowly, the water in his lashes made his eyelids feel heavier and his body hurt too much to shiver with the cold air against his bare skin but he felt mildly cleaner.

_Hurry, Kai…_

“Wake up!” Dae Hyun ordered. 

Sehun blinked lazily, unknowingly staring at the swinging ceiling light in the gaps between his sneakers. It was making his headache worse and his legs were going coldly numb with how tight the ropes were wrapped along the length of his legs. Sehun grunted when he felt a knee in his gut. 

“Fuck.” Sehun slurred aloud. 

“Ah… so you’re awake.” He squatted beside Sehun; the latter shooting a weak withering expression.

“Stubborn little bitch, aren’t you?” Dae Hyun grabbed at Sehun’s wet blonde locks and tugged hard.

Sehun gritted his teeth, forcing the gears in his head to form a mouthy retort but everything went eerily still when a gunshot rang out loud and clear in the basement. Sehun flinched with the sharp sound piercing into his submerged senses and forcing him to surface again as the pain pressed into both his temples.

“What the fuck was that, Seung Hwan?” Dae Hyun hissed out; Sehun barely heard him with the echoes of the gunshot bouncing off the walls.

“Not sure. No one is supposed to be around.”

“Ah… I see now…” A cold drawling voice cut through the basement, making the two men freeze.

_Kai!_

They could hear footsteps – each daunting and inducing fear and anxiety with its unhurried pace. It was no mistake that Kim Kai was approaching, and the two men knew judging by how they exchanged fretful looks. 

“Is that how it’s supposed to play out? No one around except for your poor defenceless maknae to stand guard while you have your way with my maknae. It seems you two were overconfident, hmm?” Kai mused with a hum and it would have been a chilling sound, especially with the added effect of him almost blending into darkness but the sounds of whimpering and scuffling sound seemed to drown it out.

“Master Kai, please… Master Kai… let go… please… it hurts.” There was sniffling and weak pleading that came with Kai’s heavy tread before the measured footfalls ceased and the cell gate swung open with a creak. 

Their maknae, Youngjae was hurled through the threshold and landed at Dae Hyun’s boots, crying as he clutched at his left thigh; the dark cargo fabric perforated with a bullet hole and drenched with sticky blood.

“Hyungs…” Their maknae cried weakly, scrambling to sit up all the while of feebly applying pressure on the wound with slippery hands.

“So _this_ is what you choose to do when the Master gives orders?” Kai’s cool voice came off bitten as it dissolved with his growl upon stepping into the light, his lifeless eyes falling on Sehun’s bloodied up form.

Sehun struggled against the black edges tunnelling his vision with heavy clinging sleep. He doesn’t know if he breathes a sigh of relief but the last thing his bleary vision grasps was Kai’s slouched silhouette emerging from the darkness, wielding a shining gun in hand. The world spins for Sehun with the thought of being saved, leaving his mind with the imprint of Kai’s blood speckled dress shoes stepping closer before everything faded into darkness.


	2. 1. P U S H   A N D   P U L L

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A clash of titan powers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the official kick off of Stained Petals :D 
> 
> Get ready to read. this is a heavy start coz I'm here to set scene. 
> 
> But fear not, before you even know it, we'll be into the action and it will be nothing but rollercoaster feels from here on out.
> 
> Hmmm, I have checked through it but I apologise for grammar and spelling errors. Quick and early upload because I'm going out this Sunday.

  1. P U S H A N D P U L L 

Two Hours Ago:

Kim Kai stood before Master Lee Hyun Woo’s office’s doors.

He was fidgeting with the edge of the plaster over his palm for the good latter of a minute as he stared – nay, he glared at the door in contempt. He wasn’t a man built on praise but his entire career of service to the Lee Household had been taken as a complete joke at dinner.

Truthfully, Jongin knew Kai’s entire presence within the Lee Household had been built on majority on lie because Jongin had been so desperate to prove himself, to show he was deserving of being on the dominating side. The side that always won. But for the first time in a long time he had to bite back the bitterness that coated his tongue as he took all the abuse the Master had dished out.

Kim Kai righted his posture until his spine was ramrod straight before he breathed in. He was being undermined and his ego wasn’t handling it that well.

_Maybe I can make this play this into my favour. _

He breathed out and knocked; short sharp raps on the fine wood.

He felt mildly ready to tackle the Master’s attitude after making the blue eyed freak bite his tongue. At a very base level, Kai’s animal instinct took that as win as it preened almost victoriously when he managed to get under the imposter’s skin, unnerving him to the point he had enraged the blue eyed freak.

His hands settled on the set of intricately crafted handles, the metal was like ice under his grip. He stared at the plaster; his master was right to a degree. He had never been so out of control nor had he ever lashed out and acted out against the Master.

But that had been at a time where the Master and him were a solid team – Kai would impose Lee Household’s presence in a daunting and looming aura as long as his Master instructed and guided but that was a tactic he had developed with the Master since he had turned seventeen and the Master had been training him to take over as the right hand.

The quiet ‘Enter’ was muffled through the doors but Kai heard it clearly.

_Here goes nothing. _

He had pushed open the doors and slipped into the office, the doors clicking shut behind him. He stood at the doors, looking at the greying man behind the large desk, grim expression on his face.

_God… it’s happening all over again._

Kai would have laughed had the atmosphere not been so tense because it had reminded him of a very rainy night when ten year old Jongin had been summoned to the very same office with a tear stained face.

“Come take a seat, Kai.”

Kai walked over to the seat opposite the Master’s but stood behind it for a second.

“Don’t make me ask again, boy.” He locked his gaze with Kai, a meaningful look promising no good to Kai.

“Will I be here long enough to get explanations, Master? I won’t bother with being seated if you won’t be clear with me.” Back then at ten Kai would have cowered, maybe even cried but at his age of twenty five and just over a decade of steeled nerves, he faced his Master with a hard look and dared to stand on the same level as his Master by demanding answers.

“Don’t be brazen, Kai, you are still but a child in my eyes. I am not above silencing an insolent tongue.” Lee Hyun Woo snapped in a sharp hiss.

Kai stayed mum for a moment taking in the Master’s hostile behaviour before he sighed softly.

“Master, hiding things from me behind threats will do more harm than good for this Household.” Kai urged, “I’ve barely managed to secure protection Lee Household from the Emperor’s Sons. Master, you need to understand that this protection comes conditionally – and it is a condition larger than what you’ve built me to be capable of and I’m not ready to stake what it costs.”

“You’re talking in circles, boy…” The Master’s expression was guarded as he regarded Kai but he seemed to falter – no, it was almost as if the Master had softened. He seemed to understand Kai’s current conflict.

“Master, there are bigger problems with the Emperor’s Sons aside losing your households so I urge you for the sake of this household and it’s family, be honest with me because the last thing we need is an internal conflict. If anything, this entire situation could be played in favour to them, if it hasn’t already because you heard… that… that person who is pretending to be Min; he has already been approached by them.”

The Master bristled at Kai’s words.

“You speak of all these bigger problems yet you do not tell me any of them in detail, Kai. Why threaten me with empty words?”

“I’m calling them bigger problems because they have not come to pass us yet but I fear they will very well be on our doorstep in no time if we don’t quickly resolve all of this, Master. If we don’t cooperate and ensure that we have all our ends covered, we could be doing our household a disadvantage in the process and we won’t even have a chance against the Emperor.” Kai stressed his urgency in firm words.

“What have they asked of you?” The Master asked, hoping to skirt around the hard truths.

“That won’t matter until we sort out internal affairs of Lee Household.” Kai snapped.

“Don’t get testy, Jongin. I will not hesitate to send you to the basements.” The Master’s look had darkened with Kai’s attitude change.

“Master… I will leave this office we continue on this stalemate.” Kai huffed.

“And where will you go?”

“The basements.” Kai looked serious.

“You dare to mock your Master?” The greying man frowned at Kai.

“Absolutely not, Master. You can inflict as much punishment on me as you want but you must understand that you will be crippling yourself against a man who means to not just rebel against your partners but the very system you created for the Undercity. You have every power to silence me right now and carry on with your charade of being unshaken right until the day the Emperor comes to the doorstep of this Household’s Manor personally.” Kai rose gently from his seated position.

“Do use this time to reconsider because you need me, Master. I don’t say this out of my ego or this supposed sudden power play of withholding knowledge but I stake that claim because I know you’ve built me to be exactly what you need when something as daunting as an Emperor threatens this household and your family. However, I won’t comply with you on the current state of the Manor.” Kai stated gravely, already tucking the chair neatly back in place.

“You wish to risk setting terms like this, Kai?” The old man looked up at Kai, raising an eyebrow at him.

“As your right hand, I am within my right to challenge your current decisions if it means I see a better result for this Household overall. You’ve let a stranger pose as your son and you expect me to play along like that is Min. I don’t appreciate being thrown into the deep end without any notice.” Kai scoffed, nose slightly turned up.

“I expect you to go along with whatever the hell I decide for this Manor, Kim Kai! I am the one who ultimately commands this Household and its forces.” He snapped and Kai looked at the old man with a difficult expression. There was absolute defiance in Kai’s intense eyes, a massive change up from the ever enigmatic expression he always wore when being instructed, as his eyebrows furrowed.

“There is no argument there, Master.” Kai huffed, his eyes blazing in his challenging gaze.

“Then why do you stand there spitting words and practically asking for a beating? What if that was a dinner with guests of the Manor?” He growled and Kai heckled.

“But it wasn’t. You wouldn’t risk it. That’s why you used a private dinner. Because you knew I wouldn’t agree to it. I’m honoured that you’d take my reactions into consideration on such a level, Master. It seems you haven’t lost faith in me upholding your image yet.” Kai felt his lips quirk at the corner.

“Wipe that look off your face. You dare to flaunt the very instincts I bred in you because you’ve merely tasted power?” The old man hissed and Kai grimaced. 

“I can assure you, Master; this has absolutely nothing to do with power. However this is becoming tedious so shall we get on with just exactly who the hell is that stranger that you place importance over? What has happened to Min?” He didn’t mean the last question to sound as emotional as it did.

The Master’s jaw snapped shut and Kai watched the colour drain from his face, mature features looking weathered in a matter of moments.

“Min is fine. He is… away. In the Undercity as he always is.” The response was rattled off too quickly. Kai knew that was a prompted response. He resisted the urge to glare at the Master for throwing a blatant lie at his face.

“A stranger has free will in this Manor as your successor? Who is he, Master?” Kai raised an eyebrow at the greying man.

“What does it matter?” And for the first time ever, Kai has witnessed petulance in his Master.

“Master… you and I both know when we can see a threat right in front of us. How is it that this man who resembles your son holds more power in your household than you do?” Kai asked, his words were almost brutal and raw but Kai knew that was the only way to get through to him.

The Master had a rather black look on his face, he couldn’t meet Kai’s eye yet he wouldn’t lower his head. There seemed to a pause as the air around them thickened with their tense moods.

“Do you wish to challenge him?” The Master asked quietly.

“If it is required.” Kai hadn’t missed a beat.

“Will you act out against me?”

Kai sighed.

“Master, it has been thirteen long years… I’ve grown up fighting for this household. Surely, the very fact that I am acting out means I’m doing it out of good reasoning and not some malicious act…” Kai looked at the Master, almost hurt at the accusation.

The Master groaned, scrubbing a hand over his aged face.

“Sit, Kai. I may as well explain you. Lord knows I need one trick in my corner against this.”

“Yes, Master.” Kai answered quietly, slipping into his seat once more.

“That boy is dangerous…”

“The one who is posing as Lee Min?”

“Yes.”

“What has he done to this household?” Kai asked, a tick in his jaw.

“It isn’t what he has done to this household, Kai. It’s more like what he will do.”

“What do you mean?”

“As an old man, I’ve lived and learnt many tricks in all my years in this business. My most valued trait was mastering the art of lying and knowing how to deceive people all for the sake of business, so if there is anything I can pass on as wisdom; it is that you learn how to read character by looking a person in eye, Kai. There is so much their eyes can tell you when they try to fool you with words.”

Kai knew the Master had a point with what he was saying so he remained silent, nodding as he gives complete and undivided attention to the elder.

“That boy’s eyes are frightening, there’s not a shred of light in them. It’s almost funny because they show how much rage he carries in him. And that rage isn’t anger; no, it’s something scarier, Kai. He rages against this system and this world we’ve built. There is something in him even more so ruthless than all the businessmen we’ve come to know.” He explained.

“If he’s so malicious, why would he come to pose as Lee Min? Why would come here knowing he’d be discovered immediately and insist on keeping his appearance as Min’s?” Kai had a number of ideas of why the imposter would do something but he needed some insight and direction from the way he behaves around the Master.

“He may look like my Min… but he doesn’t have the same eyes. Min has his mother’s eyes.” The Master spoke quietly, almost fondly and it was rare to hear the Master say a good thing about Min.

“When Min was growing up, for me, it was as if watching my wife’s character manifest in him all over again. A part of me believed that her spirit lives on in him to spite me. I carry the burden of getting her killed. I think Min is well aware of it and her brother doesn’t let me forget but it was because of that, I needed Min to change to survive in this world that I helped fashion. I do admit I have regrets of taking my anger out on him but I thought I could break that defiant streak in him. It was a way to rebuild his character but he has so much of his mother in him.” He sighed.

Kai had dropped his professional façade with the momentary shock; in all his years of serving the Master, the moments of the elder talking about his family were rare. Kai knew the Mistress of the Manor had died two years prior to his own arrival in the Manor and all knowledge of her was limited to little bits that Min would share with him when they were children and the grand portrait of her in the Master’s old drawing room.

All in all, Kai understood she was a kind woman and that Min looked a lot like her. He couldn’t really attach himself to such a maternal figure with himself barely having any lingering memories of his own mother and older sisters. The closest thing that qualified was Madam Kang.

“I watched Min grow up in disjointed way because I sent him away so often and he left on his own probably just as much when I didn’t. But every time Min came back home, I could see my wife in him clearly. Their eyes are exactly the same – determined and defiant. It doesn’t help that Lee Min had picked up almost every trait that made her stick out in the world of ours, Kai.”

Kai felt a smile playing on his lips because as much as it exasperated his Master that did sound a lot like Min.

“I am an old man and I know this very well but only until as of late, I hadn’t realise the kind of man Min grew up to be. It was the worst way to have a realisation but I could only see the brilliance of that boy who had every bit of my dead wife in him until he was replaced with what I thought I wanted out of a son and successor.”

“What do you mean, Master?”

“That boy… Tae… He was everything I hoped to imagine out of Min… strong enough to handle the business and ruthless enough to surpass me. He has an ambition greater than mine to pair with his whip like wit which makes him dangerously intelligent.”

“Yet?”

“He is monster.” The Master concluded gravely.

“He is absolutely nothing what I want Min to be. Min is the last bit of family I have, Kai. As an old man and a father that has failed him, I want to cling to him a little longer but he was already so far from me. I had hoped by forcing him back into the household, it would have given me a little more time with my boy without putting a target on his back. I wanted to arm him with the shield of being in the safest position of my household by having all control over it. I knew I could count on keeping Min safe like so especially since I would have left you to be tasked with being his right hand, even if it meant that he’d hand it over to you because I know he doesn’t want it. Ultimately he said you were the better choice for the Head of my household.” He sighed.

“Sadly Fate doesn’t work that way, it never plays out the way you want it to and strangely, I’m almost thankful Min isn’t in the very seat I am in and for that, I hope Min is safe.”

“Master?” Kai felt all his blood run cold. The bucket of ice water had been dropped over his head in that instant.

“Much has changed since you left, Kai. Min left the Manor the night you left all those seven weeks ago and he hasn’t returned.”

“You’re saying Lee Min is missing?” Kai asked in staccato words, feeling his entire being flood with dread.

“I rather not believe that. He could be hiding from us in the Undercity. Like he normally would.”

“That can’t be right, Master. Why would Min leave? You’ve known that Min and I were good friends from childhood and this time I had come to truce with him… I had convinced him to at least stay until I got back.”

“It seems like Min had not taken that truce all too seriously.” The Master huffed. It left Kai feeling a little rattled with self-doubt.

_That isn’t true. I know I mean more than that to Min and Min means everything to me so why did he leave that night? _

“Then let me look for him… bring him back again. Explain things as you’ve told me right now.” Kai resolved, despite feeling the urge to throw up.

“And let everyone know we don’t have a true Lee Heir in our household?” The Master’s stern tone came like the crack of a whip.

Kai sighed, well aware of the political fix the Master was in.

“Have you looked for him?” Kai dared to ask instead of picking a fight over Tae’s jarring performance of the Lee Heir.

“At first I assumed that Min had run away like usual and it would be as simple as trying to get back in touch with him. But not even his uncle can reach him and we searched, quietly, and we found nothing. Min had disappeared without a trace.”

Kai sat there, horrified as he listened, “What happened then?”

“Tae arrived at the Manor with news.”

“What kind of news?” Kai narrowed his gaze at the grave demeanour of his Master.

“Ji Household has come into his hands.”

Kai’s eyes widened in realisation, he barely registered the shock behind the statement.

“How has that happened? Does that mean Ji Kwang Ho is –” He cut himself off before he said something insensitive to Hyun Woo.

The Master had nodded in lieu of answering Kai.

“It is alright, Kai. It must be said. Ji Kwang Ho is dead and Tae has come to be the new Ji Household Master. He has done his homework. He’s been watching our system closely, and something played into his favour for him to climb our ranks.”

“Have you not had it looked into as yet? Internal investigations aren’t uncommon, we use it to suss out foul play amongst our shareholders and partners, Master.” Kai frowned, not understanding why something as simple as investigating his closest friend’s death was still left in the air.

“My hands are at a bind with Tae. As part of his deal to maintain Min’s identity, I am to not interfere… for my sake and his own, I suppose. He has threatened me in the way that leaves us both on a noose if we try to interfere with the other hence I cannot investigate without him finding out. This puts us at a great disadvantage but I believe it is a safer option for us.”

“Safer how?”

“I don’t want to give up on that boy just yet especially if he may somehow be tied to Min. I won’t give up a lead in my very hands, Kai, especially if it means I’ll be able to find Min faster than fine combing over the Undercity with my personal forces in ridiculously clandestine methods.” The Master sighed.

Kai clucked his tongue, he couldn’t argue with that, “This fucker is going to be more trouble than he’s actually worth…”

“Maybe, maybe not. I’m not entirely sure if such an up in the air scheme will spell disaster – I have a façade where I appear to have nothing to lose as far as my family is concerned while maintaining the norm of Lee Household could possibly be a win against the Emperor’s Sons. It could make us look dauntless.”

“But at what cost, Master? Min is possibly missing and Tae could be the very undoing of this household.”

“That is the last thing Tae wishes for this household.” The Master mused softly, “Even if he will be violent and rash.”

“Do you fear him that much, Master?”

“No, I understand his thirst for power but I value your life in a greater sense. You are a prized figure of this household. I wouldn’t want to waste you in something as pointless as tussling with Tae.”

“Pointless?” Kai thundered, “Master, he could possibly know about Min’s disappearance!”

“Maybe so but you will do nothing about it.” The Master snapped too quickly and Kai narrowed his gaze at the Master.

“Alright.” Kai agreed despite having a hunch, “So what are to do with the dynamic of this household currently? He parades around quite content with his position in the Manor and something tells me he may have even more over you, Master. Has something else changed in my absence and you wish to inform about, Master?” Kai folded his arms, frown deepening on his face as the gears turned in his head at lightning speed.

_Too clever for his own good_, the old man thought.

“Don’t be insolent, boy. You know better than to play with fire.” The Master’s words were bitten with dwindling anger.

Kai sat there waiting expectantly on his Master to cease his empty threats.

“We are to let it continue as it.”

“Even when people know he’s not Min?”

“A lot of people aren’t as smart as you and brush it off since it looks like Min, believing something snapped in the boy and he finally decided to contribute to his Household.”

Kai would have been amazed at how small and lame the Master before him looked but it made Kai feel sick, he’s stomach churned as Master Lee had never looked so unsure of himself before. Kai was having a hard time taking in all the lies that the Master was weaving in favour of Lee Household.

Kai sighed, “So just like that? We’re aiding a rising and promising criminal beyond our control? Brilliant.”

The Master didn’t take Kai’s words well.

“Be what he may be, you are to carry on as normal. He will remain under Min’s identity and I expect no more insolent outbursts from you. I will have you severely dealt with if you disobey my word, Kim Kai. I still remember the weak ten year old I brought into this Manor and trained.”

Kai stiffened at the mention of the first time he was brought to the Manor.

“Should I be anticipating rebellious behaviour or do we have an understanding? You will not tarnish this Family’s front by exposing this.” He threatened Kai indirectly and Kai straightened his posture, knowing he wasn’t in the Master’s favourable books in that particular moment.

Kai had a tick in his jaw despite his face schooled to an impressively impassive look, “Nothing of that sort will happen, Master, but I fear that I may not even get the chance to expose Tae for who he really is. Just how long do you think he’ll go along with Min’s identity before he exposes himself?”

The Master sighed, “I do not know. For once I will take things as they come. We’ll do our best to cover all ends of this lie and aid Tae but all I can do is to wait to cross those bridges when I get there, Kai.”

“Of course, Master.” Kai observed the man. He could make out how exhausted and drained the elder was but Kai could also see relief.

“Tell me of the encounter with the Emperor’s Sons.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to Kudos and drop comments. :D


	3. 2.	I      S E E    Y O U

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helllllooooo Lovies!!! I am early for once. Well, barely early. Anyway it's 00:09 which means Diwali in my part of the world has begun so I have just made it in time to post then grab a few hours of sleep before it's all good silly seasoned fashioned madness over this Sunday. 
> 
> Look this chapter is literally foreshadowing shit so pay attention. 
> 
> Also... just note... I'm not an idiot but for some reason this entire chapter I had written all 'too's as 'to's so if you find that forgive it. I did try sieving through the chapter to rectify it but now my brain is tired and the words are being mean and laughing at me.

  1. I S E E Y O U

“Tell me of the encounter with the Emperor’s Sons.”

Kai looked at the Master, feeling his chest tighten a little, knowing that that statement alone was the start of where things got difficult especially when Kai had a nagging feeling that the Master was about to ask demanding questions.

“The Emperor Sons want to strike a proposal with Lee Household.” Kai stated bluntly.

_This is as good as any time to get it out there before it gets too hard to admit. _

Silence. Utter silence. The Master hadn’t reacted to a single word Kai had dare to voice.

The old man sighed, “Has it really come to this?”

“Come to what exactly, Master?” Kai asked with the intent on being difficult so that they both would own up to the unpleasant truth before them.

“There’s no point in denying the truth, we’ve been backed into a corner and now they intend on twisting our wrist, don’t they?”

“But we’re not succumbing to it…” Kai insisted almost childishly.

“Broken wrist petulance?” The Master would have smirked in mirth but the topic at hand was awfully sobering.

Kai scoffed, averting the Master’s gaze while unconsciously holding onto his wrist, trying to wring out the phantom twinge.

“The Emperor’s Sons have been tireless against us. With an ever growing presence in the Undercity and cocky Emperor manning them, it would seem almost inevitable for the day when they would decide to try and take over this Household. Maybe it was feeble hope to assume that you would have been able to drag it a little longer before my power has been usurped by the Emperor.”

“Actually… Master…” Kai paused, unsure of how to word himself without ticking off his superior, “There may be a way around that. One that involves you not dying nor do you give up your position as the head of the Households.” 

“How is that you’ve come to such a conclusion?” Lee Hyun Woo frowned, unable to make much of Kai’s words.

“Just before returning to the Manor, the Emperor’s Sons had kidnapped Sehun for one night earlier this week.”

“You didn’t retaliate?”

“He was snatched off the road on errand in the evening. Luhan and I hadn’t the slightest of where Sehun was taken or when he was kidnapped. In that evening, he had met with the Emperor.”

“It’s not like you to joke like that Kai.” The Master raised an eyebrow at his young subordinate.

“I’m not. It seems that the Emperor wanted to meet with Sehun because… well, that’s something Sehun wouldn’t disclose to me. I figure it is because of his connection with the Emperor’s Dragons but because of that very same connection… the Emperor had sent a different message when he returned Sehun.”

“So why is that you’re the one telling me this and not Oh Sehun?”

“For the protection of both parties, Master, I’m here to act on your behalf and represent Lee Household while Sehun had been forced to represent the Emperor. But while I ensure that you not harmed through this arrangement I ask for you to please understand that Sehun is also merely a third party – unlike Sehun, I have the power to act for you, protect you but Sehun is trying to protect himself.”

“I don’t like the vagueness of this situation.” Kai could already see his Master’s patience wearing thin.

“The Emperor intends to meet with you. A business challenge of sorts to handle his dealings with you – he insisted to Sehun that it could only happen if he was to meet with you personally.”

“And?”

“He doesn’t seem intent on immediately destroying this household like our partners of the Mafia. In terms of ranks, I would only assume that it’s natural to approach you differently – the stakes are high when it comes to challenging the Lee Household. However, I don’t have faith in this calm lasting so long because it’s clear to see that the Emperor is geared for a war but maybe we can have the benefit of the doubt and anticipate that the Emperor would want to deal with you as cleanly as possible.”

Kai heard something shatter before he saw it. It seemed that the Master had thrown one of the glass ornaments on his desk at the wall with all the fury and violence he could muster.

“Don’t sugar coat it like that, Kai. You do very well to protect your Master but I find it almost disgusting that you would force yourself to remain so collected when we have such an underhanded display of flaunted power before us.” He snarled.

“Master, wait!” Kai urged the Master to calm down before he would continue.

“No!” The Master snarled, “He dares to dictate me?! Does the Emperor think he’s intimidating me by forcing me out through a ruse?! I am not hiding that he needs to send this… this lost child to do his dirty work!” The Master stood in an instance that Kai could only watch, too surprised at how his anger had surfaced so quickly. The Master spat every work in a harsh manner as he breathed hard and laboured.

But then Kai snapped back and jumped to his feet.

“Master, calm down and listen to me and let me finish before you decide on how to act on this. You may be able to work these odds in your favour!” Kai tried to appease his Master urgently in hurried words as the Master pushed his chair back to pace.

“The Emperor has an ego that seems to know no bounds. He dares to coerce me with his presence. It is appalling on every level that he wishes to stand on the same level as me. This is not the time to approach me peacefully – not when he has wiped out more than half of my executives. I have grieving sons and daughters but they came to me, trusting me to deliver justice.” He thundered. Kai would have shuddered, feeling the imposing force of his Master’s wrath pressing down on his shoulders.

“He thinks he has won by killing off my strongest household leaders. But their heirs will take vengeance. He has invited such onto himself.” Lee Hyun Woo could only see red as he paced, ranting his vexations, “This audacious Emperor will know the wrath of what it is to mess with my mafia. There is only so far that fear gets a weak leader and I know that because I ended every man in my business who tried to rule that city like so.” The Master breathed the words like a dragon would spit fire.

“This Emperor is young; too young to know how I built it up this mafia household from the dirt when that Undercity was nothing but a warzone region of cartel lords. It is only in naïve youth that he’d be so audacious to reach for what I created!”

Kai gaped. He had never seen the Master so wound up.

“This Mafia runs on respect, Kai. I may rule the Inner Circle but I gave power instead of hording it to myself. This brat of an Emperor is childish to assume I left it lying around for him to pick it up like pieces to use against me. It angers me ever more that my friends gave their lives honourably because they didn’t bow their heads to this dishonourable man. Their revenge is on my hands!” His words were pure anger, his voice rumbling like rolling thunder in the small space as it boomed with each statement.

“Master, listen please.” Kai urged. 

“And you!” He whirled around to look at Kai, making the younger freeze in his spot. For the first time, Kai felt Jongin’s fear – felt the need to flinch back before how daunting his Master appeared.

“You come back to this Manor, bringing the fight right to our very doorstep in your naïve ways to try and play a silver tongue against someone like the Emperor?!”

“No, Master.”

“Yes. Your naivety shows, Kai. I expected better from you. I had you cut your teeth on more vicious things. Was it a tall claim when you said that you’re not that weak child that was dragged into my Manor?”

Kai bristled. “I am not.” He stated firmly.

“Yet you’re bending to Oh Sehun’s words blindly. Where is your sense of duty, Kim Kai?”

“Master, my duty is fulfilled even with my loyalties on the line.” Kai hissed.

“Your loyalty is wasted on Oh Sehun.”

Kai’s anger died in an instant.

“What do you mean, Master?” Kai asked in a deathly quiet tone.

“Can you not see it? He doesn’t offer you much clarity, does he? He lies to get his way and you’ve played right into his hands… and by extension this Household has been brought one step closer to the Emperor’s Sons.”

“Master, I urge you to reconsider. Sehun isn’t who is against us. He wishes to help us.”

“How does the lapdog of the Emperor wish to help us? He appears to be nothing but self-serving,” The Master hissed.

Kai had fallen silent, absolutely stunned with the reasoning of his Master.

“Kai, you mentioned that Sehun was forced into this – that means we will force the Emperor with his own proxy. It saves me the risk of a mole and gives me the advantage of a hostage. I’m sure you or Sehun himself wouldn’t protest being held in one of the cells in our basement.” The Master hissed as he had pulled out his phone.

“You can’t be serious?” Kai uttered, feeling at a loss to argue back.

“I’m quite set on this. Oh Sehun is to be detained in the basement. Use force to retrieve him if you must. I will see him being dealt with. I will be down shortly to interrogate him. Work him over in the meanwhile.” Lee Hyun Woo barked his orders into the speaker of his phone before he cut the call without further notice. 

“Master! You can’t do this! He has done nothing wrong!”

Kai watched wide eyed after the phone was thrown at the wall – splitting to a shower of raining pieces.

“Can’t?! I am the Don of the Undercity’s Mafia and I already know how this is going to play out. Don’t you see a mole when he’s right under our noses, Kim Kai?? Or has the boy made you soft with a sob story?” The old man yelled incredulously.

“Understand this now, boy. He’s probably been working for Emperor’s Sons all this time.”

“That is impossible.”

“Is it? How impossible is it actually? Have you never considered how suspicious Sehun’s knowledge of Emperor’s Sons seemed when he first came to you? Was he not setting you up? Did it not strike you that he was purposely baiting us to steer us closer to the Emperor?”

“Master, listen to reason first, that doesn’t make sense. Sehun’s knowledge has come from first-hand experience with them as his own enemy and his own risk of keeping track of them. It is obvious that he wouldn’t set us up or even remotely be involved with them. They had almost taken his life once before and just before we returned to this Manor they had kidnapped him. It’s far too elaborate for a front, Master. Sehun is not untrustworthy as you make him out to be.” Kai asked exasperatedly.

“Is that what he told you? You should know better than to believe a fishy story where you don’t get answers, Kai. The Emperor was clever to hide his favourite in the vanguard but we’re going to use him for a better purpose.”

“Master!” Kai protested as the Master rounded his desk and walked towards the double doors, walking cane in hand. Kai had barely stepped out of his seat without tripping up in his panic.

“Master, stop! He only wishes to help us. He has taken the brunt of the situation upon himself instead of letting it all fall onto us. He has even decided to help us should we relocate. Master, we don’t have a better fucking saving grace than allowing Oh Sehun to help us.” Kai stumbled after the striding man with haste, trying to catch onto the very edge of his Master’s suit sleeve but the elder whirled around in the nick of time, cane raised to strike Kai in any second as he breathed fury at Kai.

Kai halted, looking at his Master with neither fear nor defiance. He calmly regarded the man before he took and step back and the Master lowered his cane ever so slightly – was that guilt?

“Strike me if you will, Master but I know what I’m talking about when I say we have a better fighting chance with Oh Sehun at the vanguard of our defence.” Kai panted, feeling his chest tighten after seeing such a stern and stony expression of anger on his Master’s face.

“You think that because we are now playing to that puppet of the Emperor we have a more favourable situation?”

“Master… do you have any idea what Sehun is risking for us when we owe him nothing?”

“That is exactly why I don’t trust that boy. He has nothing to gain from us however this could be his one way ticket up the ranks of the Emperor’s Sons if he hands over the head household of the Undercity’s Mafia to the Emperor personally.” The Master snapped back at Kai.

“And that is exactly why I think we should do the opposite. The Emperor put Sehun in this position, knowing how untrustworthy he would look to you and make you feel like you have the upper hand. I don’t know what the Emperor is planning but I can see far enough that he is baiting you with Sehun’s past connection to them. He might not even be able to see the complexity we have now but he knew it would be a good crack in your defence with this situation.”

“How so? The Master watched Kai guardedly.

“Sehun had learnt that the Emperor had been dealing with the other households via their right hands. Almost every right hand man I knew or was friends with is dead because they served their Master loyally. Master, had it not been for Sehun, the Emperor would have delivered my body to this doorstep because I would have acted just as those right hands did so and at that point he wouldn’t be asking you to cooperate with him. He would be here to do exactly what he had been doing all this time. Killing the heads of the households to take them for himself!” Kai sucked in a deep breath.

“Do you believe Sehun’s story to that extent?” The Master asked quietly.

“I do believe it would be better to believe Sehun than to idly ponder the true intentions of the Emperor’s Sons. I know I can rely on Sehun because his business with the Emperor is one sided – Sehun is only a target of interest because he had dared to fight against the Emperor’s Dragons and he had survived when they assumed they had successfully killed him. That much Sehun had told me when he did almost die some ten months ago. They were searching for him ever since and it happened to be of convenience when Sehun came to the Manor to help us against them.”

“They would risk such an important move on a mere connection between you and Sehun?”

“It seems that they seem to know things about Sehun that I don’t despite our long standing friendship. It isn’t all that surprising to me, given the nature of upholding ultimate secrecy in his old work field. So Master, I urge you to please call the order off. Don’t punish him unnecessarily despite how dubious this situation seems. He is only trying to help us, even if it does work in his favour as well. What harm is it that someone else, who offers no threat to us, also benefits from evading the Emperor?”

Master Lee Hyun Woo remained mum, thinking it over. He understood what the boy had been saying. He had done the same thing years ago for Ji Kwang Ho. His best friend had walked a rather grey line of life where his actions weren’t of the noblest but he had gotten his hands dirty to help build the Inner Circle which is why when they had finally reaped the rewards of what they had sown, Ji Kwang Ho decided to sit back and not bask in the spotlight – rather he set up his territory in the HUB through his club and he overlooked part of the drug distribution.

Maybe had Lee Hyun Woo heeded the warnings a little earlier then he would have been able to save his closest friend…

But the Master knew that was impossible because there no way he could have predicted that Ji Kwang Ho would have been murdered in a different way compared to how the Emperor’s Sons had murdered the other household heads.

It was then that Kai’s phone rang; the noise was ear splitting in the silent office.

“Yes, Captain Nam.” Kai answered, switching to speaker mode so the Master could hear the conversation clearly.

_“**Oh Sehun is in the process of being secured. He had resisted at first until he surrendered. He will be detained in the basements as instructed, Master. Seo’s team was dispatched in the retrieval of Oh Sehun. Shall they proceed and interrogate him?” **_

_Fuck. Seo Dae Hyun’s team has nothing but thugs in them, even if the Captain is the only nice guy controlling them. Why did Captain Nam send his unit of all the units? _

Kai looked to his Master, a silent plea.

“Proceed with detaining Oh Sehun however halt the interrogation.”

** _“I beg your pardon, Master Lee?” _ **

“Halt the interrogation. No one is to touch Oh Sehun until I decide.”

** _"Understood.” _ **

Kai looked at his Master, unsure of how to feel or react.

“I still do not trust Sehun.” Hyun Woo stated firmly.

“That isn’t a matter for you, Master. It is in moments like these that you have me. I protect this family, Master, and I shall not bring harm to this family so I implore you to believe me when I give you a judgement of his character.” Kai spoke calmly and evenly.

“I admire how you’ve stood your ground, Kai, but waxing poetically won’t help him. I shall discern my own impression of Oh Sehun myself.” The Master scoffed, rounding back to his seat and settled into his seat all the while beckoning Kai over back into his seat.

“I understand.” Kai gave a weak grin, feeling the relief washing through him as he plopped down into the chair heavily. Sehun may not be comfortable and hidden in the confines of his wing but he was unharmed for the time being. 

“Well it seems like we have sorted out the internal affairs of Lee Household, how do we move forward from this, Kim Kai?”

“Simple. We evade the Emperor’s Sons while being right under their nose, Master.”

“Can such a bold strategy work?”

“It’s best kind. We need to make them think we are complying while we hunt for a weakness or loophole.” Kai frowned as he thought, “Of course, this would have been simpler without Tae. I fear our actual challenge is to get him to conform to such a plan especially since he wishes to take over. The last thing we need is an internal rebellion against you, Master.”

“You’ve seemed to have given this thought… what have you come up with?”

“Essentially it was for you to go along with the Emperor’s request but then we would have the Lee family moved from the Undercity to a safer place. I assumed I could contact our overseas partners for help.”

“But?”

“I don’t know how Tae will react. Also locating Lee Min is another task to consider before you even agree to the Emperor.” Kai’s expression became severe; there was a lot of ground to cover to flawlessly escape the Emperor.

“Locating Lee Min will be a private project for you, Kai. We must find him. Even if he doesn’t return to the Manor, you said that you could relocate him and keep him safe, yes?”

“Yes… Sehun and I have to pull a few strings…”

“Do it. Let it happen that way.”

“What exactly are you expecting of me, Master?” Kai looked at the Master, scrutinizing the elder for the real angle.

He remained silent, gazing at a particular point on his desk, drumming his fingers on his desk as he thought.

“Kim Kai.” The Master called, using that familiar tone when he had instructions for Kai.

“Yes, Master.” Kai sat up straighter in his seat.

“I expect you do what I’ve trained you to do. My household is in trouble. I don’t trust Oh Sehun but if he can help you secure my household back into my hands and if that means I am forced to tie forces with the Emperor then so be it. I’m putting the burden on your shoulders and yours alone because I know you can do it. You’ll deliver on everything that I cannot in terms of violating the deal I have with Tae.” The Master grinned to himself.

Kai narrowed his gaze at his Master, “Are you sure? You’re not going to regret this decision, Master? You are going to give me authority over suspicious operations within the Household?”

“Yes. Absolutely. If I cannot do it; then who else better to operate in my stead than but my best trained?”

“So we can release Sehun from the basements?”

“After I make a show of having him interrogated.” The Master surmised.

“Understandable.” Kai sighed.

“Kai… do you think Tae will figure this out?”

“He’s already anticipated this hence why he hasn’t come to this meeting. He wants you to be on my side and he wants me to pick a fight with him. He knows that we’ll try to fight him but he’s banking on something that ensures he’ll still win even if we have come to an agreement and I can’t tell what it is just yet.”

“Then you’re willing to take it on?”

“Yes, Master. I owe everything to this family for helping me become what I am today. I cannot let your Household slip away if it depends on me. It’s worth risking everything.”

The Master smirked a little, “I think this will be interesting. I know I didn’t build cowards in my household.”

“We have a lot of plan, Master.”

“No, Kai. _You_ have a lot to plan. The less I know the better your odds will be.” He tapped his forefinger on the table as he started thinking.

“Then how shall I update you?”

“This old man has a few tricks left. I shall let you know.”

Kai seemed a little amused but then his phone had buzzed on the table. He ignored it.

“Then, how do we move forward?”

It buzzed again. Kai frowned and pocketed the little disturbance. 

“Keeping up appearances, Kai… We will have no choice but to interrogate Oh Sehun. You head down ahead of me and wait on my call.”

He felt the device vibrating in his pocket and it made him want to scowl but Kai feigned indifference.

“Of course, Master. I’ll head there immediately.”

Kai felt like he could breathe a lot easier when he stepped out of the Master’s office and felt his tread lighter with each brisk stride away from the office. He halted when his phone buzzed again.

_This many missed calls from Luhan? _

His phone started to ring again and this time he answered in time.

“Kai…” The air was knocked from his lungs when he heard Luhan’s weak tone rasp over the phone.

“Fuck,” Kai muttered when he remembered that Luhan was with Sehun, “What has happened, Luhan Hyung?” 

“They came for Sehun but… shit… I got caught up in it all. I didn’t mean to stand and do nothing but I couldn’t do anything and… I made a mistake because I didn’t listen to Sehun and I couldn’t help him, Kai. They ambushed him… ambushed us and… and they hurt us.” Luhan’s voice cracking with each statement and Kai knew he was having a panic attack so he cut Luhan off.

“Hyung.” He called firmly and Luhan shut up immediately.

“Breathe slowly for me.” Kai coaxed slowly, he hated that he knew exactly what was happened to Luhan because it was exactly what he had to do when Min struggled with his own anxiety when they were younger; back then Min’s anxiety wasn’t crippling to the state that Luhan was in but Kai tried to help.

“Good. You’re already sounding a bit better. Does it feel better?” Kai asked softly.

“Yes… that did help…” Luhan’s tinny voice came across.

“Where are you, Hyung?”

“They attacked us when we were in the library and they hurt Sehun. There were too many for him to handle and I just got in his way…” He started gasping for breath again and started to eat his words up hurriedly – obviously showing signs of going into another panic attack.

“Shhh… you’re okay, Hyung. Just breathe slowly. I know they hurt Sehun but I made sure he won’t get hurt anymore. I promise. He’s just in another part of the Manor and I’m going to get him. I’m going to pick him up right now, okay.”

He heard Luhan take a stuttered breath as he tried to calm himself down again.

“They said he was to be detained. He agreed, Kai, just like you told him to be but they hit him first.”

Kai scowled, that wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

“Okay, Luhan Hyung, I’ll sort this out. Where are you right now?”

“I’m in the guest wing. Madam Kang heard me even after everyone had left and she came to get me. She placed me in this room. It’s very weird, Kai. I don’t have any of my things and I don’t know what to do and –“ His mind was working too fast for his current emotional state and he wasn’t near anything familiar so it was a strain on Luhan.

“It’s alright. I just need you to relax and wait for Sehun and me.” 

“Kai… he’s going to be fine, right?”

“Absolutely. He probably doesn’t even need my help. It’s just a big act for me to go and get Sehun. I promise.”

“Please bring him back.”

“If you rest now, I promise Sehun will be back before you even get up.” Kai reassured him gently, knowing he was doing a shit job of playing reassurance.

“Okay. I’ll see you then, Kai.” Luhan mumbled over the phone and then cut the call.

He could tell Luhan was tired; a heavy sleep awaited his Hyung. It wasn’t anything surprising, Min would disappear into his room after a panic attack and wouldn’t emerge until the next morning or he would go for hours napping before he arrived for a formal event, sleep lines blurred under impressive make up.

It was then Madam Kang came down the hallway in a huff.

“Oh goodness, thank God I’ve found you, Young Master Kai.” She looked frazzled as she clasped on his forearm and caught her breath.

“Madam Kang, calm down first. Catch your breath, please. Then tell me what is wrong.”

“The maids have barred up the kitchen doors and won’t let anyone in.” She finished her words breathlessly.

“What? Why?” He was suddenly confused at why the maids would do such a thing.

“The maids called me about someone in the basements; they said all they can hear someone being tortured in the basements. The yelling and screaming is becoming unbearable for them.”

“What?!” Kai was enraged.

“Who is down there? Where is Captain Nam?”

“Captain Nam has been in the Manor’s Barracks all evening. He had only stepped into the offices to give instructions to a single unit – said the Master had urgent orders and that I was to have the passageways cleared to escort someone. But suddenly they heard a man scream. I know this is normal in the Manor but the Master only does this when the kitchens have closed. They’re absolutely terrified.”

“It’s alright, Madam Kang. Give the maids the day off tomorrow. Just calm them down and send them off to their rooms while I deal with the men in the basement. I’m heading there anyway. The old exit into the Gardens from the kitchen still works, doesn’t it?”

She nodded and turned to leave but she halted after a step, turning back to Kai.

“Young Master Kai, that man who is being tortured in the basement is Young Master Oh, isn’t it?”

“Yes… it is. He isn’t supposed to be treated like that. The Master had different orders for Oh Sehun.”

“Disobedience in the ranks?” Madam Kang looked thrown for a bit.

“Yes.”

“You best hurry then, Young Master. You need to make things right so that Young Master Xi can recover.”

“I know.” Kai nodded gravely.

“Did you know of his panic attacks?”

“Not until tonight.” Kai shook his head, worry marring his features.

“Then hurry, Young Master Kai.” Madam Kang gave him a meaningful look and he barely managed to smile genuinely in return.

“I’ll take my leave then, Madam Kang.” He bowed stiffly and turned away to walk in the direction of the basements.

But he stopped and turned back.

“Madam Kang…”

“Yes, Master Kai?” The woman gives him an inquisitive stare.

“I wanted to… I need to…” He looked uneasy and maybe a little queasy trying to word his gratitude for his Hyung.

“Go along now, Master Kai. They need you.” She smiled at him gently and Kai doesn’t understand how to react to the genuine affection in that gesture. 

“Yes…” He snapped his slacked jaw and turned away for the last time, hurrying his already lengthened strides down the hallway, feeling his cheeks burn.

He had rounded the corner and found Tae smoking against the tapestry just like before he stepped into the Master’s office but it seemed like the blue eyed imposter had changed clothes once more.

_What more now? _

“My my, this is all so fucking exciting, isn’t it, Kai?” Tae snickered as he exhaled light smoke. Kai noticed that Tae is a newbie smoker unlike Sehun – the wisps were faint unlike how Sehun could make the smoke billow in endless curling clouds.

“Get out of my way if you’re only going to be a hindrance, Tae.” Kai huffed, waving off the smell of the smoke rather than the weak wisps.

“Ooooh…” He cooed mockingly before he canted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow at Kai, “That almost had me in chills. Congratulations. You finally have a name to curse at. The old man must have been chatty if he actually gave you my name.” He sneered before he leaned forward to get into Kai’s space.

“Pity, I was kind of enjoying when you were forced to call me Minnie. Your face did this amazing thing where you managed to look pissed and pained in the same moment.” Tae continues with a tone of amusement.

Kai narrowed his gaze at Tae in the idea of an ‘_are you fucking shitting me?_’ expression.

“Ahh… no need to look so severe, Kai. There’s no joy in this for me if you aren’t having fun too!”

“I’m in no mood for your games right now…” Kai huffed, remaining composed – he had other problems to deal with in that moment. But even as he tried to seem calm, Kai couldn’t stop the reflexive response of balling his hands into fists at his sides.

Tae picked up on it, his figure slouching back into the tapestry.

He looked nothing like Min. He may share Min’s facial features and wear Min’s clothes but there a sneering Tae stood in a black tulle fabric shirt with silken faux lapels and cuffs. Kai never imagined that Min owned something so suggestive in his wardrobe, given its transparent nature, plunging neckline and the belt that wrapped at Tae’s waist. Kai could only recall that ridiculous silk blue shirt and tight matte pants that eighteen year old Min dared to wear. (Kai would have probably forgotten about it had it not been the bane of all seventeen year old Kai’s unholy steamy dreams about Min.)

“Oh, come now, Kai. Surely, you won’t try the same trick twice in one night? I know you’ve got more in you than wanting to breathe threats down my neck, trying to intimidate me.”

“Are you counting on it or you’re just giving me credit?” Kai hissed.

“Oh, I definitely am counting on it. I did tell you I was bored and I’d be sorely disappointed if my shiny new toy has no thrills to him. But I guess… I too, would be a little preoccupied to entertain the Lee Heir if I had so many problems piling up already… Go on, _hero_, everyone is counting on you to save them.” Tae taunted; a mean grin on his face that paired with the malicious gleam in his blue eyes.

_The Master was right. His eyes are angry but that’s it. It’s just rage. _

_Not like Min’s eyes. _

_No light. _

_No passion. _

“Oh… I do believe I saw a unit of our men dragging one of yours into the basement… It makes me almost wonder how much of a royal fuck up you and your little friends are actually. I mean, it’s got to be nothing short of a feat to get on the old man’s shitty side then get back on his good side to plot against me **_and_** get your friends locked up all in a matter of a few hours because you couldn’t hold your shit together at a dinner.” Tae sniggered.

“You may want to take that into consideration, Tae. I fucked up your seven peaceful weeks here in the Manor in one night. Imagine what I’m capable of, now that I’m back to stay.” Kai smirked.

Tae remained quiet for a moment, glaring at the raven haired man, trying to gauge what the ever loving fuck was Kai’s problem and what the hell was he actually aiming for?

Kai had made the realisation that silence was actually Tae’s dangerous point because it meant he was thinking – possibly weighing options on how to react and make things play into his favour. It could be that or – it could be as he hopes… Tae could be nervous. Kai could have rattled him a little in a very base way.

_He’s not stupid to not acknowledge me as a threat. He realises that too. What will you do, Tae? _

“We’ll see…” He broke the silence as he jammed his cigarette butt in the ornamental ashtray that had been kept next to the damaged tapestry and turned on his heel. It almost surprised Kai that there was no outburst but he took it as a victory that he managed to make Tae nervous about the near future within the Manor.

But Tae stopped and turned his head to look at Kai over his shoulder.

“Oh, Kai… You ought to remind yourself that you’re only entertaining to me because I enjoy a good game but I won’t let you topple me. Lee Household is mine. No matter what you try; if you know what’s good for you, you’ll back the fuck off from my plans in this Household.”

Kai snorted softly but Tae heard it and held himself tighter to not lash out and bite the bait.

“Are you going to threaten me like that every time you feel rattled? The Lee Household is as much mine as much as I belong to it. It is nothing without me as its face.” Kai folded his arms, staring smugly at Tae’s taut and shaking shoulders. 

Tae whirled around, a thunderous expression on his face, but he only breathed heavily at Kai as curled fists at his sides. 

“Such temper, Young Master.” Kai clicked his tongue before his smirk split across his face lopsidedly.

“You’re nothing but the old man’s dog and that shitty old man thinks he has a shot now that you’re here. That’s why your ego is so jacked up but you’re going to learn that you’re worth fucking nothing to the Mafia as long as I’m here, Kai.” Tae spat every word filled with hate in a low and slow tone but it was a dead giveaway on how Kai was riling his temper up.

“Am I? So why were you so eager to replace me when my guard was down, huh?” Kai taunted.

Tae chuckled in a low tone, “Don’t taunt me unless you want me kick you like the fucking dog you are, Kim Kai.” Tae huffed and walked off without waiting for Kai’s retort.

Kai watched Tae’s figure disappear as he rounded the next left to the stairs in the Manor, thinking about how he managed to trigger Tae but it wasn’t enough.

_He’s easy to rile up but he’s still too sane in his anger to give anything away. _

_He’s very smart. But very arrogant. It’s going to make him slip up soon._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyyyyye stack of kudos if anyone made the connection with Tae from the Prologue Bonus and Tae in this chapter. 
> 
> Also I want to literally cackle in relief and hysteria as all the heavy wordy scene setting is over. 
> 
> Shit gets real in Chapter 3 :D
> 
> Remember to tell me what your predictions for Chapter 3.


	4. 3.   A M B U S H E D

3\. A M B U S H E D

Sehun exited Kai’s room while pulling on a long sleeved black shirt to pair with his low slung grey sweatpants before he made a beeline for the library, hopefully angling for a nap. However upon entering the library he found Luhan standing against a bookshelf, staring blankly despite the open book in his hands. Sehun had noticed how tense Luhan had been since Kai left but Sehun was hoping that his unbothered behaviour would the older relax. 

“Hey Hyung?” Sehun murmured, least he startled Luhan, as he slipped into a lounging sprawl across the sofa silently. 

“Mhm, Sehun?” Luhan had answered non- committedly.

Sehun tilted his head off the headrest of the sofa in Luhan’s direction, the older didn’t even notice, and Sehun swore he saw the gears in Luhan’s head turning – whirring too fast and slowing down alarmingly to a halt as he gripped the book too hard.

“Kai’s going to be just fine. Whatever this is… we can work past it.” Sehun offered words of ease to his hyung; even Sehun wasn’t able to know the true extent of those words. 

The only true things Sehun was certain about the situation was that he was going to help Kai get Min back and that his issue with the Emperor was going to go away. He couldn’t put Kai’s family at stake. Sehun knew how important the Manor and Min was to Kai.

“I know, Sehunnie. But you saw Kai.” Luhan chewed his lip worriedly.

“Yeah but he’s not like that around the Master. He knows better than to let his anger get the better of him during business talks. Kai is never prone to throwing a tantrum so it must be drastic for him to act up like that.” Sehun mumbled.

But that didn’t ease the silence around them. 

“Sehunnie?” 

“Yeah?”

“How much does Min mean to Kai? I mean, you said it was complicated between them but you saw the way Kai lost it. You’ve always told me how he was the mild mannered one between you and him.”

“Everything. It’s complicated because they both mean so much to each other. I’ve seen it.” Sehun said without a beat.

“Do you think Min is missing?” 

“I’m not sure… God, I hope not.” Sehun sighed. 

Sehun understood what Luhan was doing – the older had always been able to analyse a condition like a file report since he spent most of his time detached and isolated and behind screens. But this was different. He was back in a proverbial vanguard of sort. It was actually tangible to the older male. Not allowing Luhan to dwell on it any longer, Sehun steered the conversation in a lighter direction.

“Hey Hyung, I was thinking after I call the Emperor, I’ll go back to that club and look for that little bird. Want to come with me?”

“Oh Sehun! You will not use your professional contact as a conquest!” Luhan scolded him.

“Jeez, I’m not going to sleep with her. Even Kai thought I already slept with her.” Sehun grumbled.

“Well, you do enjoy a chase with anything with nice legs that promised a good fuck.” Luhan smirked impishly at his book.

“That was years ago. I don’t even remember the last time I fu –“ Sehun abruptly cut himself off, sitting up bolt right. He placed a finger to his lips, signalling silence to an alarmed looking Luhan.

There were muffled footsteps coming from just outside the library. It was far too many sets to be just Kai, even if he was accompanied. Sehun knew the entire situation spelt disaster; he was unarmed and outnumbered with the high chance of risking Luhan’s safety. 

He signalled Luhan to the little drawing table to search for a weapon. Luhan ruffled through the drawers but swore quietly when nothing came up. Sehun hated that he was leaving Luhan defenceless.

“Hyung, I hate to do this to you but brace for the worst. We sort of knew this was coming.” Sehun sighed while he had slipped his hand under the sofa feeling around and there was nothing here. He made a mental note to give Kai’s security an overhaul.

“We did. But that doesn’t make it any less terrifying.”

“No it doesn’t. I promise I won’t get you involved. They’ll only want to deal with me.” 

The library doors burst open and Luhan flinched back into the nearest bookcase but no one appeared in the doorway.

“Oh Sehun! You’ve been ordered to be detained by the Master of this Manor.” An unknown male voice bellowed.

“Fuck.” Sehun swore lightly, already concluding that the talk between Kai and his Master didn’t go well. 

“Okay,” Sehun called out, “I’m coming out.” He sighed and got up off the sofa and walked over to the doorway with raised arms as a sign of cooperation and surrender. 

Suddenly, Sehun was struck down. He staggered backward and crashed to the library floor, landing hard on his back and the flats of his forearms. 

“What the fuck?!” Sehun cried out, enraged at being attack out of nowhere. He wiped off the bit of blood smeared across his lips, he had a nasty nick but thankfully his bottom lip wasn’t torn or split.

He rolled backward and vaulted the sofa for cover. 

“Oh man…” Sehun heard the sound of laughter, “Did you see that? That was even better than I anticipated. I’ve been dying to take a whack at this little bitch for ages. He’s always here in the Manor acting like he owns it because he’s Kim Kai’s bitch.” He heard a voice call out as they stepped into the library. 

“Who’s the nerd twink in the corner?” Another voice called out.

“Luhan, get down!” Sehun called out from his crouching position as he watched Luhan scramble to get under the desk. His mind rushed at a million miles in the moment trying to figure out what to do with the situation of being unarmed and most definitely outnumbered and most definitely being ambushed. He couldn’t count the amount people by the muffled footsteps.

Sehun waited a heartbeat and more thundering footfalls split the air.

_Fuck, too many to take on._

Sehun kicked the sofa with all he had before he had been seized by two sets of hands and were hauling up all of his body weight. He felt compromised as his centre was thrown off balance. Sehun couldn’t really decipher what they were doing by disorientating him.

Really pointless of Sehun trying to think since the brawny hands threw him down on the ground again, deftly smashing his head to the floor while his arms were being twisted behind his back.

This really has to stop happening, Sehun grumbled, some part of his mind was still functioning.

Sehun turned his head so he wasn’t face-planting the cold marble floor of Kai’s library.

_Where the fuck was the rug?_

He mentally groaned that the rug must have been bunched up and stuck under the foot of the sofa which was now successfully blocking off the entrance into the library.

_I’m so dead. Kai is going to kill me._

A scream brought Sehun back to full attention, the ringing in his ears and the blackness at the edges of his vision being damned because that screaming belonged to Luhan.

_Fuck. _

_Not good._

“Don’t fucking touch him.” Sehun slurred a little.

_How many of these guys were in this small as fuck library?_

Luhan screamed again and backed into a corner of the library, knocking over the drawing table in his scramble. 

“Please… don’t! Stop!” He was trying to curl behind it but there were two more men that grabbed Luhan and knocked the smaller to the floor. His glasses fell off and the lens of the right eye cracked – an awful display of web-like fractures.

_Okay._

_One currently holding me down._

_Two on Luhan._

_Ring leader is walking over to Luhan now._

_Another._

_Five so far..._

_Why so many?_

Sehun tried to shove off the asshole that had his palm digging between his shoulder blades.

“Oi! Listen up, assholes. You want me, isn’t that right? I’ve been willing to go. Don’t touch him.” Sehun tried his best to remain level headed. Luhan was having a panic attack and it wasn’t good. Sehun knew he couldn’t help Luhan out just yet.

His mind was in over drive even as he was taking the abuse to his back. The last strike was hard enough to get him to react and Sehun grunted.

_Six is baton wielder._

_Where the fuck did they get batons from?_

Luhan howled and curled into himself but the Ring leader kicked Luhan over while, twisting just one arm behind his back, all the pressure on his shoulder, the stance was driving the panicking male into submission and also threatening to pop his arm of the socket.

“I can’t breathe. Sehun, help! I don’t want to get hurt again. I don’t want to watch again!” Luhan cried out, voice strained and hoarse, fighting the hold as the two resumed their hold on Luhan again. He kept babbling and was starting to cry.

“Let me go! Please! I don’t want to watch!” Luhan’s screams were filling the entire library at that point and Sehun was getting angrier with every octave Luhan raised.

“Oi, Bitch. What the fuck is he going on about?” Ring Leader walked over to him.

“He’s having a fucking panic attack, you moron, so fucking let go off him.” Sehun snarled, jostling and growling at the arms on him.

“That wasn’t a very nice way to talk to us.” He tapped the baton on Sehun’s temple in a threatening manner.

“You expect me to have manners when you limp dicks are tormenting someone with anxiety?” Sehun muttered.

“So how do we make him shut up?” 

“You don’t, you fucking half-wit. He needs to calm down.” 

“So we knock him out.” 

“Yeah… after I fucking knock you out.” Sehun growled as he successfully countered the guy who was holding him down and shoved off the guy. He wanted to kick but his legs were protesting to every movement and he couldn’t bear to admit he was slightly fucked in this situation so Sehun looked up and saw he still one more to take care of. The brawny looking guy was trying to use his weight to punch down into Sehun’s torso.

Sehun crossed his wrists over and blocked every punch until Brawny was huffing, Sehun drove the heel of his palm upward, tossing his chin up to the sky while Sehun drove the heel of his other palm into the guy’s chest and then his throat, his chest locked and Sehun pushed him off while trying to roll over.

Sehun barely had time to react when he heard the clicks of the baton extending again and it came down hard on his back. Sehun rolled over and saw Baton Wielder coming down to strike him more aggressively. Sehun flattened against the marble floor quickly, trying to find an opening. He ducked the first swipe, rolled to his left for the second swipe and rolled to the right for the third.

Baton Wielder’s ugly face turned an interesting red as he growled and swung at Sehun’s crotch. Sehun split his legs in time and the baton struck a little shy of his crotch. 

“God… that was close!” Sehun felt a little faint at the idea of being struck between the legs but Sehun gripped the thick wrist and swung the weight of his leg over, catching Baton Wielder squarely in the dip of his shoulder with Sehun’s heel. It wasn’t enough to pop the arm out of the socket but it was good enough to get it close enough to that. Sehun swung his leg once more and swiped his jaw and the guy fell over neatly to his side.

Luhan cried, the sound was raw and worrying – and Sehun bolted upright, bruised legs screaming as the muscles forced themselves to work to Sehun’s will. 

He swiped the baton off the floor. 

Ring leader was missing. 

Sehun would deal with him last then.

Sehun managed to grab the first guy off Luhan. Sehun struck the baton at the junction of the neck and shoulder and then a winding strike over the ribs before shoving him into the bookcase before he slumped to the floor. 

The last guy had just finished zipping on cable ties on Luhan before whipping out a pocket knife and swiped wild arcs. Sehun stepped back and side stepped the wide swings. It was pissing Sehun off even more since his legs were locking with every dodge.

Sehun finally caught the guy’s arm, struck him with the baton – the metal had bent with the strike so Sehun threw the bent baton at the man’s head while he twisted the arm in his hold, effectively resulting in the knife dropping before Sehun seized the guy and promptly threw him into the knocked over table.

“Sehun!” Luhan cried out.

Luhan had been shifted to the edge of the library, furthest away from Sehun, with a gun pressed to his tear stained cheek. Ring Leader was finally back and had Luhan’s hair in his grasp. The little copper haired male was panicking a tenfold over again and Sehun felt his blood boil.

“Stop or your little nerd gets shot.” Ring Leader orders with a grin on his face.

“Whatever. Let me calm him down. I won’t do anything.”

“No.” He grinned with yellowing teeth and struck Luhan over the back of his head with the butt of the gun.

Sehun growled but hadn’t realised more lackeys had flooded the room until they seized him when he tried to get to Luhan. Sehun snarled at the hands on him but they had pinned him down to the ground and wound his hands behind his back.

Sehun looked to Luhan – the older man’s gaze was aimless and unfocused but Sehun could see how dull it was.

He’s going to pass out soon.

“Luhan! Hey!” Sehun called out, “Hyung! C’mon, don’t fall asleep on me just yet. I need to tell you something.”

Sehun felt like he could breathe when Luhan’s dull gaze shifted in his general direction, there was barely a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

_Good, Hyung. Hold on a little longer._

“Listen. I’ve got to go with them now. Wait for Kai. This is going to be okay. You. Are. Safe.” Sehun tried to reassure him calmly but he watched as Ring Leader walked over from Luhan to just behind Sehun.

Sehun turned his gaze back to Luhan and made out the tear track stained cheeks and the nasty trickle of blood was at the corner of his mouth and his bottom lip trembled.

“Breathe for me, Luhan.”

He watched Luhan nodding and trying to wipe his stained cheeks.

Sehun grunted when a heavy boot kicked at the back of his scalp. Sehun felt his forehead being driven into the marble with the boot grinding against his head. He jostled to dislodge the boot but the boot caught him when turned his head to the side. The boot rested heavily on him, threatening to kick in his temple with how the Ring leader bent over to sneer at Sehun.

“Wipe that look of your face…” He hissed at Sehun.

But Sehun was the vision of something dangerous, his sharp eyebrow slanting in anger and his single eye dark as he dared to glare even as he was being stepped on.

“Change that look before my boot rearranges your face, bitch.”

“You’re so fucked.”

“That’s rich coming from you. You’re all spread out on this library floor and –“

“And I knocked out half your unit because you’re bullying someone with a disorder. Imagine if I was fighting for myself.”

“Haul him up!” Ring Leader barked before he kicked at Sehun’s head. Sehun was seized again by two big built guys and he knew he couldn’t do anything more.

A new guy stepped between them and winded Sehun with his knee to the gut. Sehun would have doubled over had it not been for the arms restraining him.

Sehun dubbed him Steel Caps because Fuck, his gut was hurting like a bitch – rounded Sehun and kicked at the back of Sehun’s knees, making him crumple to the floor, landing hard on his knees as hands drove him down harder. It made him double over at that point and there was release on his arms, his forehead on the cold marble as he panted. His lungs were burning with every raw inhale and his body was protesting even as he tried to still himself.

Sehun eventually lifted his head; arms still restrained and flicked cold eyes at the Ring leader.

“Cut his ties then we leave without any problems.” Sehun demanded with no give in his voice.

They jostled him with a firm kick to his ribs. He swore and panted against the floor before he was hauled up again.

“Are you really in a position to make conditions?” Ring Leader smirked as if amused.

“Want me to take out the other half of your unit?” Sehun gave a smug smirk.

The Ring Leader stuck him across the temple with the flat back of his fist.

Sehun grunted as he thrashed in pain, “Fuck you!” His angry words were ripped out from between his hisses of pain.

“Pick him up and take him to the basements.” Ring Leader spat as he watched Sehun sway with the weight of his body all depending on his knees. Sehun shook his head, trying to orientate himself.

“I agreed to come without fuss. I’ll walk out of this library perfectly fine.” Sehun grimaced but it was short lived and turned into a groan when the fist in his gut forced air of his lungs.

The Ring leader maliciously, “We must report that the target was being _uncooperative_ and that _necessary measures_ were taken to restrain him.”

“Who the fuck taught you all those big words, huh?” Sehun sneered after he spat out the blood that had rushed into his mouth.

He turned back to Luhan but the older lay unconscious with dark red blood pooling around where Luhan’s head rested on the floor. It streaked his copper hair and down his neck.

“Luhan!” Sehun roared, trying to wake the older up, “No no… I promised you wouldn’t get hurt. Hyung! Hyung wake up!” Sehun fought against the way he was being restrained to get closer.

“Hyu –“ Sehun’s breathing hitched as black rushed over his vision when he was hit over the head with the baton.

* * *

When Sehun woke, he barely made out the sound of a door being thrown open before he felt that he was dragged down a set of stairs. It was too dark for him to get a better grasp of his surroundings.

Sehun felt ill with how his body ran cold in an instant and he lost feeling in his arms, the bruising hold around his biceps was numbing and the ache in his shoulders was making him shiver.

Sehun kept his head down to keep the sick feeling at bay.

They reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs and Sehun felt his ankle fold in a way that it shouldn’t. He hissed lowly as they continued to drag and his ankle untwisted from its fold. It’s not sprained but it was definitely going to bruise.

He mildly thought back to Luhan in the library. He left Luhan alone after his panic attack. He knew Luhan had PTSD but not to the depth of what the triggers were. He hated how they tormented Luhan but if he did anything more they would have made Luhan a target.

_It’s better this way. He won’t get hurt further. Hopefully Madam Kang finds him…_

“Fuck, I didn’t know the old man had a dungeon. Not surprising though, everyone has skeletons but these are actual skeletons but who am I to judge?” Sehun finished his observation morbidly before he turned to the guy holding his right arm.

“What about you, big guy? You like to wear lace stockings and heels when nobody is looking?” Sehun rasped out weakly as they dragged him further into the basements. 

A gate was thrown open and they pushed Sehun into the makeshift cell.

Sehun groaned at the jolt to his system when his heavy weight was flung into a chair. He tried to get feeling back in his arms.

The idea was short lived when the burly looking guy snapped Sehun into wrist shackles, god awful angle at that as his arms ran parallel with the rods holding up the backrest.

“Definitely a stockings and heels man. Bet they make you feel _so pretty_ after doing such a dirty job.” Sehun cheesed, blood stained teeth bared, knowing he was being awful and was most likely going to be punched, _or something worse_, again.

The guy grabbed the baton from his partner and raised it high to strike Sehun.

“Wait!” The Ring Leader called out from outside the cell.

“What?” The burly guy grunted out.  
“Boss said we can’t touch him yet.” Ring Leader growled out, “The Master told Captain Nam to call off the interrogation. Oh Sehun needs to be detained only.”

Sehun laughed lowly. 

_Thank fuck for Kai._

Sehun received a hard kick to his stomach.   
He gasped mockingly between his coughs.

“I’m telling your Captain.” Sehun griped.

The burly guy threw a look to his partner, “I won’t tell if you won’t.” The Ring Leader smirked, that stupid smarmy look was on his face again.

“Where’s our team maknae? Tell Youngjae to be the look out.”

“Oi! It’s unfair that you know my name but I don’t know yours. Especially now that I need to know the name of the fucker who thought it was fun to hurt Luhan.” Sehun called out.

The Ring Leader walked over to Sehun and grabbed the neckline of Sehun’s shirt.

“My name is Dae Hyun, Chief Seo Dae Hyun.” He smirked at Sehun before he punched the blonde across the jaw and grabbed the hair at Sehun’s hairline, “You think you can do anything for that weepy twink when you’re stuck here bound to a chair?”

“Sure.” If anything, Sehun adjusted in his seat oozing smug confidence, “I already told you. You’re so all mightily and royally fucked to the point I think it’s hilarious. Though I must warn you; this will be the last time you’ll get to hit me,” Sehun looked at him with a wrecked smile, “Even if I don’t do it myself, you’re going to regret every injury you add to me. But I don’t even care about getting even for myself. I want to make you pay for how you made Luhan suffer through his panic attack.”

“Nah, you’re just a smart mouth who is all bark and no bite. We just got to make sure your bitch mouth doesn’t howl loud enough for your master to hear you…"

“How you’re going to do that?” Sehun canted his head, frowning at Dae Hyun.

“Release him from this fucking chair and get me rope. We’re going to interrogate Oh Sehun after all.” 


	5. 4.     F A M I L Y    F I R S T

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so last week I was literally the worst authornim. I kinda just dropped the chapter without hype and stuff and left for the week. 
> 
> Which was sad because that chapter was one of my favs. 
> 
> I had personal family matters going on but I have bounced back and I'm back to chat and respond to comments and stuff 🌸🌸
> 
> Also let's real talk about Kai. Man's being fucking busy and Sehun is well doing his Sehun thing. 
> 
> We have just one more chapter after this one before we wrap up the SeKaiLu arc in the Manor and then.... Dun Dun Dun... We move onto Tae and Min :D
> 
> I missed my main character. Kai and Sehun wilded on my plot and now we just have to deal with it.
> 
> Anyway enjoy the old vibe from Kai from when I first introduced him!!!

4\. F A M I L Y F I R S T

Kai didn’t have time to relish the short lived satisfaction of getting the upper hand over Tae. He had quickly changed course, sprinting across the floor, navigating his way to the drawing room was directly above the basement.

He had slipped into the room, snapping on the light and ignoring the large white sheets over the furniture and made his way to the loose slab of wood in the flooring. He had lifted it, walking along the length of the slim but long gaping hole in the floor.

Kai had made out the gaps the concrete slab and huffed when he spotted Sehun suspended upside down and being beaten by thick burly fists. 

He had walked over to the wet bar cabinet, filled with decanters.

He shuffled the decanters about before he pulled out three, smashing the first two to reveal the gun pieces. He had put the gun together immediately before he flipped the gun over in his palm, gripping the barrel to smash the third decanter open for ammunition.

The snarls and seldom screams from Sehun were echoing through the basement, carrying up the double volume space between the basement floor and where he stood, hunched over the gap in the floor watching Sehun taking hit after hit. 

No wonder the maids were terrified. Sehun was like a wounded animal – fierce and dangerous. 

He left the drawing room, finally standing in the hallway that branched off the basement entrance and the kitchens.

He heard shuffling behind the kitchen’s large doors and made out the maids who were peeking out. 

“Young Master Kai… why are they doing that to him?” One of the maids asked a little shakily with glassy tear filled eyes. 

“I’m not sure because it isn’t the Master’s orders.” Kai shot a dark look at the basement doors. 

“What are you all still doing hiding in the kitchen? Didn’t Madam Kang tell the staff to head back to the barracks and dorms for the night?” Kai barely managed to not hiss the question. 

“She did but we weren’t sure which way to leave.”

“The old exit through the kitchen and into the garden. Go that way. Then head to the Barracks. I don’t want anyone back in the Manor unless I say so.” 

“Yes, Young Master Kai.” 

  
“Go now. It’s safe to leave. I want everyone gone before I go down there so hurry…” Kai ordered and the staff piled out in rush, clearing out in no time. 

Kai waited until the maid gave him the thumbs up and secured the lock on the large French shutter doors and left.

He approached the double doors. They looked harmless, flanked by pale gold painted vases.

Kai sighed, knowing he was going to regret it but he reached out, grasping the gold painted vases. He weighed it in his hands before he drove it to the ground. The sound was shattering as the vase burst into angry shards that scattered over the floor.

Kai took a step back and waited, scratching lighting at his temple as he anticipated the door opening. He heard the shuffling from behind the door.

“What the hell is that noise?” A young boy emerged from behind the basement doors, a rather miffed look on his face before he came face to face with Kim Kai. 

“Oh fuck!” The young boy yelped. It was almost comically with the way the boy threw himself flat against the doors in a panic.

He trembled hard enough to rattle the doors as Kai approached him. He walked over in slow steps; gun still in hand despite it being lax at Kai’s side, until he towered over the boy, staring him down with his free hand resting against the door. 

“Master Kai, it’s you! You’re here!” He babbled.

“Glad you noticed… I actually should be asking you the same. What _is_ that noise that’s coming from inside the basement?” Kai canted his head as he asked the question in a cool tone. 

The boy choked, unsure of how to answer. Kai took some pity on him; the boy couldn’t be older than nineteen and was but a breath away from tears. But he wasn’t in the mood to play nice bigger brother. He needed answers to why Sehun was haunting the Manor with his screams.

“I suggest you answer before I’m left with no choice but to force my own hand…” Kai raised an eyebrow, rolling his gun holding arm and shoulder.

“I haven’t done anything! I swear! I’ll tell you everything Master Kai! Please don’t kill me!” The boy pleaded earnestly. 

_Not guilty then._

“Name.” Kai’s voice cracked the command, sharp and strict.

“Kwon Youngjae.” He all but sobbed out brokenly to Kai.

“Position.” 

“Maknae from Seo Dae Hyun’s team, Master Kai.”

“Duration.” 

“Three months.”

“_Then talk_.” Kai growled at the boy. 

“The hyungs of my team. They decided to interrogate Oh Sehun even after receiving Captain Nam’s orders earlier.” 

“Reason.” Kai snapped, narrowing his gaze at the boy. 

“The Chief has always hated Sehun from what the hyungs said. They made me stand watch here should anyone try to stop them.” 

Kai’s look darkened. “Youngjae… do you know what we do to teams that doesn’t obey the Master’s rules?” 

“The orders came from the Master himself?” The boy paled further but couldn’t bring himself to tear his gaze away from Kai’s dark eyes. 

“Hmm… we don’t tolerate such behaviour and I suppose after your help, I could spare you all the punishment. You could help me further, you know…” 

“Anything to help you, Master Kai.” The boy jumped at the opportunity. 

“You’re willing to betray your hyungs?” 

“No, I’m being smart. I was clearly left on my own. Deserting a post is trivial when comparing it to having the Master’s right hand breathing down your neck with intent.” The boy summarised, his voice a little wobbly with how teary he was. 

“Would you help me teach your hyungs a lesson…” Kai’s eye contact with the boy fell to the gun in his hand, the boy’s wide scared eyes following Kai’s gaze. 

Realisation dawned upon the boy in their sudden moment of silence.

“You’re going to hurt me, Master Kai?” 

“Yes.” Kai replied almost immediately, the light in his eyes dimming significantly, “but it is to always remind your hyungs of how they’ve failed you. Are you against it?” Kai asked softly. 

“How badly?” 

“I will not cripple you and you will be far from death. Still against the idea?”

“No.” 

“As your hyung, I’m proud of you, Youngjae…” Kai’s mouth was a thin line as he grabbed the boy by his shirt and pulled him into the basement, “I could use your talent in the future and I’m not cruel enough to drag you down those stairs with a gunshot wound.” Kai murmured and made him descend the steps quietly.

At the foot of the stairs, Kai pushed the boy to the floor and ordered him to stuff his handkerchief into his mouth. Kai leaned into the boy, staring at those scared wide eyes with dead bored ones. 

“Let this moment decide your position and attitude in our household.” Kai whispered into his ear softly before he shot Youngjae’s leg.It was a clean shot, lodged into the dense muscle of his thigh. The boy wailed as he clung onto Kai, sobbing into Kai’s shoulder and fisting at the sleeves he gripped onto. 

Kai waited until the trembling boy had calmed into sniffles.

“I’m sorry it had to be this way.” Kai pushed him to the ground before catching him at the back collar, fisting it for a grip.

“No, they’ll be sorry.” Youngjae hiccupped softly. 

Kai dragged the maknae towards the cell where he heard voices.

“What the fuck was that, Seung Hwan?” Dae Hyun hissed out; Sehun barely heard him with the echoes of the gunshot bouncing off the walls. 

“Not sure. No one is supposed to be around.” 

“Ah… I see now…” Kai spoke, feeling his blood boil. He felt a little pleased when he spotted the men freezing in their spot. He took slow step towards Sehun’s cell. 

“Is that how it’s supposed to play out? No one around except for your poor defenceless maknae to stand guard while you have your way with my maknae. It seems you two were overconfident, hmm?” Kai mused with a hum and it was a chilling sound, especially so when he was nowhere to be seen as if he was merged into the darkness but a whimpering sound seemed to drown it out. 

“Master Kai, _please_… Master Kai… let go… please… it _hurts_.” There was sniffling and weak pleading that came with Kai’s heavy tread before the footfalls ceased and the cell gate swung open.

Kai watched Sehun for a moment, dangling from the rope that was ceiling mounted, covered in bruises, on the verge blacking out. 

He saw the way Sehun was shivering and the way he panted after being stripped of his shirt and the floor shining wetly with blood and water and the smell of acid in the air. 

_I’m so sorry, Sehun. _

Kai looked down to Youngjae and then hurled him at Dae Hyun’s booted feet. He watched the maknae scramble up and away from him and clutched at his thigh, pressing down on the wound to stem the bleeding with slippery and bloodied hands.

“So this is what you choose to do when the Master gives orders?” Kai’s cool voice came off bitten as it dissolved with his growl upon stepping into the light and saw Sehun passing out upon making eye contact with him. 

Kim Kai stood at the entrance of the cell, gun in hand and dead eyes as he watched the boy apologise profusely and begged to help stop the bleeding.

“Kai Hyung… please…” Younjae cried softly. 

His usually perfectly slicked back hair was dishevelled as strays locks fell forward and over his eye. All the fallen hair hid the minute way his eyebrows were knitted in the barely there frown.

It was possibly the most terrifying thing about him as his dark eyes narrowed on the whimpering boy, as if the boy bleeding out on the floor was inconveniencing him.

“It could be worse.” Kai walked in and grasped the maknae by his hair angling his head up in the direction of the unconscious Sehun, “I would have never done that to you… but look what they’ve done to my maknae, Youngjae…” Kai shook his head and sighed, his grasp in Youngjae’s hair going slack, threading his hand through the youth’s hair, combing it away from his tear stained face.

“Hyung…” Youngjae babbled and clutched onto Kai’s slacks, “Hyung… Don’t do that to me.” 

“Shh… it all depends on your hyungs here…” Kai canted his head to the left, his gaze slanting to Dae Hyun as he pressed the muzzle against Youngjae’s temple.

“Don’t hurt him, Young Master Kai.” Seung Hwan urged; having half a brain to protect their team maknae. 

“You think I shouldn’t? Why? I mean, his team is asking for this child to be tormented – especially when his hyungs don’t protect him.”

“We made a mistake! We should have known better than to –“ Seung Hwan stopped dead with his excuse. 

“_Shut up_.” Kai’s steely voice cut across the air, imposing deathly silence as the other occupants stifled themselves on their thickening fear, “I don’t want excuses. What I do want is answers.” Kai said slowly, firmly, leaving no give for argument. 

“So tell me why everyone in this Manor can hear Oh Sehun when I clearly understand that the Master gave the order for him to remain untouched.” All the cold of the draft in the basement couldn’t compare to the ice in his tone.

Kai grabbed the crying boy and dragged him over to the empty chair in the basement before he sat down, his posture screaming danger; even more so with the injured boy at his foot.

He sat with his legs spread apart and his forearms braced over his thighs, his grasp on his gun lax despite the younger boy fisting at his pants.

He snapped the safety on and looked to the two older men, ignoring the way Youngjae had taken to crying openly, his forehead pressed to Kai’s knee. 

“Why is my maknae unconscious…?” Kai asked in a low tone, eyes narrowed, daring one of them to lie to him. 

“He’s been howling like a wounded dog for hours, Master Kai, no need to take it out on my team. We’re following orders. We can’t help it if he’s crying wolf for no reason. So we took measures to quieten him.” Dae Hyun’s gruff tone came evenly, not even sparing the youth a glance.

Kai sighed and snapped the safety off.

He leaned towards Youngjae, lithe body looming forward. 

“Youngjae… are you listening?” He asked softly and made out the meek nod but he wouldn’t pull away from Kai’s leg. 

“I think your hyungs need to hear exactly what you had told me,” Kai smiled coldly, even if the maknae couldn’t see him, the other two could see how ruthless it was.

"Come now, Youngjae, just like when you spoke to Kai hyung earlier. It’s okay to repeat for me.” Kai coaxed in a bone chilling voice that held a sickly type of sweetness to it. 

The boy flinched as he jerked back, head snapping up to see Kai cocking his head to the side, full attention on Youngjae as he cupped the boy’s face gently with his free hand to coax the terrified boy’s words.

The team leader swore he saw the maknae pale before Kai’s gaze.

“Repeat for Kai hyung, please.” 

“T-They… My hyungs made me… the watch out so that they could… could interrogate Oh Sehun. Please don’t shoot again, Kai-Hyung – H-Hyung-g, please.” The youth hiccupped and blubbered.

Kai shushed him softly, patting his cheek gently and telling him he had done so well before standing up to his full height and turned his attention to the Dae Hyun.

“Well?” Kai raised an eyebrow, “I’m sure you understand my problem, Dae Hyun. I have two differing accounts of why Oh Sehun is beaten and unconscious in our basements.” 

“Someone is lying then.” Dae Hyun spat.

Kai grinned viciously, “Oh, I _know_ we have a liar in our midst. It’s a matter of who is lying to me?”

Dae Hyun glared at Youngjae for not even trying to cover up with a dirty lie while Seung Hwan’s nervous gaze flicked between Kai’s dark expression and his hand tightening around the gun.

“Would anyone like to come clean before I force my own judgement?” Kai hissed the question.

  
When Kai received no response, he shot in Dae Hyun’s direction. The latter went down to the ground in one fell swoop, howling as Kai shot him in the shoulder.

“Shut the fuck up. It’s only a flesh wound. You should be thankful. This is nothing but a slap on the wrist.” Kai snarled before he looked to the remaining man in the room, “Do you wish to interfere, Seung Hwan?” 

“No…” He responded meekly. 

“Get that boy to one of the infirmaries then.” Kai barked as he stood and watched Seung Hwan call for two people to carry Youngjae to the infirmary cell in the basement.

“However, I’d like it if you two remember exactly what a howling and wounded dog sounds like.” Kai took easy steps, side stepping all the blood and squatted beside Dae Hyun’s crumpled figure and grabbed the hair on the back of the leader’s head.

“The Master is letting you do this?” Dae Hyun gritted out.

“I honestly believe that you’re the last person in this entire Household that’s allowed to question my disciplinary methods after your brazen insubordination, Dae Hyun.”

“The Master will hear about this…” He threatened Kai weakly.

Kai snorted.

“I plan on it. In fact… everyone should know of this stupid little stunt of yours. You got cocky, abused the power of your position and threw your own teammate under the bus. This is a fucking Mafia Household, Dae Hyun, we don’t let family get hurt. _Ever_. That is all we ever have. And I pretty sure you’re able to understand that concept despite how thick you are. So understand this very carefully… that boy was yours to take care of. So take a look at how you fucked up. You let him feel abandoned and he was willing to be abused by me to get even with you. Clean up your act or I _will_ personally put a gun in his hands and teach that boy how to kill you. Be fucking grateful that you’re still alive.” Kai hissed before he smashed the leader’s head into the rough concrete floor, ignoring the little pool of blood forming rapidly.

“Let Sehun down, Seung Hwan, and have him moved to a new cell. If you still have time, get Dae Hyun cleaned up so he doesn’t choke on his own blood.” 

“Young Master Kai…” 

“Yes?” 

“Why would you still keep Sehun in the basements after all he’s been put through?” 

“Because orders are orders unless the Master changes his mind and Oh Sehun was ordered to be detained until further notice. Now get Doctor Im down here. The Master will be down shortly and I want everyone but myself and Sehun gone before he gets here.”

* * *

Sehun… Hey! Sehun! Wake up!” 

Sehun felt someone tapping at his cheek and slit his eyes open to see what happened. He made out a blurred outline of dark hair and tan skin. 

“Kai –“ Sehun choked as he jerked himself to the side, away from Kai, coughed up a glob of blood on the clean concrete. He spat what clung to his mouth, wiping with the back of his fist and swore mildly, frowning as trying to get his motor and speech skills going again, “Oh fucckk… I’m feeling really light headed right now.”

Sehun’s head dropped between his knees and pressed his kneecaps to his temples. 

“You would be feeling like that. You were suspended upside down for quite a while.” Kai mused. 

“I feel like passing out again.” 

“Yeah, no, don’t do that just yet.” Kai gave a wry smile, watching Sehun clench his posture to tighten the pressure over his temples.

“Humour me why I shouldn’t…” Sehun mumbled under his breath. 

“You need to clean up because I’m pretty sure you hate the taste of bile and blood in your mouth.” Kai patted his bare shoulder and coaxed him to sit up again.

“Yeah, haven’t thrown up in an interrogation in a long time. Well, that was more of malicious bullying. I think I was… what, maybe sixteen the last time it happened in an actual interrogation.” Sehun muttered, accepting the bottle of chilled water in Kai’s hand before staggering off to the basin a few steps to his left to rinse and spit.

“What the fuck did they do to you for you to have minor internal bleeding? Doctor Im said you’ve got blunt force trauma.” 

“They made my torso a target. What the fuck is keeping me from passing out? I’m almost astounded at my own attention span after being dangled by my ankles.” 

“We’re got you under a blood coagulant and some medication that’s numbing you from the pain.” 

“Where are we?” Sehun asked, staggering back to his seat and Kai draped over a blanket, pointing to the shirt on his chair.

“You’ve got a new cell since they almost killed you in the other one and you can’t die of hypothermia and internal bleeding.” 

“Yeah, that would suck. That sounds like a pretty sad way to go out considering all the fucking cool things I’m capable of. Anyway what’s actually happening? The last thing I remember is Dae Hyun’s ugly face but upside down. Where is that bastard?” 

“The Master came to a compromise of sorts. He wants to talk to you though so he’ll be down soon.” Kai informed, “As for Dae Hyun, he’s currently in the infirmary nursing his broken nose and possibly mild concussion.” Kai finished the sentence with poorly veiled irritation in his tone.

“Nice. Bitch deserved it. He tormented Luhan through his panic attack.”

“Did you know about that?”

“His PTSD? Yeah, a little more than I should know.” Sehun’s expression pinched even though he was still a little loopy with medication but Kai understands how telling the minute action is.

“You didn’t think to tell me about it?” 

“It wasn’t my place. You know for a fact that he would have known and hated it the moment we started treating him differently. Luhan knows I’m aware of his condition and I crossed a line with him once before – back when I woke up in the safe house after our incident with the Dragons.” 

“What happened?” 

“Luhan hyung is scary.” Sehun breathed light laughter while fighting a bone deep shudder. 

“You actually have the audacity to laugh and tell me that.” Kai huffed, it was a little hard trying to imagine Luhan scary.

“You don’t understand. I hope you never do.” Sehun stressed the last statement.

“We left him alone, Sehun.” 

“I know we left Luhan alone. But I kept telling myself that it was better that he’s alone rather than being dragged into the basements.” 

There was a moment of silence. Kai couldn’t disagree with Sehun but a part of him still couldn’t leave that helpless feeling alone – silently vowing to make sure to protect Luhan from such a situation from that point onward.

“You know, I haven’t felt that scared in a long time. And it wasn’t because he was freaking out but because I couldn’t do anything about it _while_ he was having his episode. Is he okay?” Kai had never seen Sehun so conflicted but Kai knew what it was like where no matter what Sehun chose to do he wouldn’t win in that situation but he was thankfully that Sehun was sharp enough to take the better of the miserable choices.

“Shaken but I got him to wait in my room for us. I need to get you cleaned up a little more before we get there.” 

“I’m going to head there after we finish with the Master.” Sehun seemed determined.

“Can you handle Luhan on your own?” 

“Going somewhere?” 

“Need to leave to the Undercity. I’ll probably be back late tomorrow.” 

“We just got back. What the fuck, Kai?” 

“Min is possibly still in the Undercity. I need to make a visit to his apartment while we endure Tae’s behaviour for now.” 

Sehun frowned for a moment and then – _oh?_

“The imposter has a name?” 

“Yeah and he’s well prepared. I’ve got a fuck ton of things to deal with because he’s trying to turn the Lee Household ladder upside down from the inside out because he wants it.” 

“Asshole. As if we didn’t have enough shit to deal with already,” Sehun grumbled, trying to deal with the dull pain in his gut, “Anyway what exactly does the Master want to do about Emperor’s Sons?

“That’s what he’s coming down to discuss.” 

“I’m honoured.” Sehun snorted.

“The Master is coming down for the sake of keeping up appearances. Basically, everyone thinks you’re still going to be interrogated even after this fiasco with Dae Hyun.” Kai clucked his tongue. 

“Well, it’s better this way. We’ll have privacy and we don’t risk having a mole.” Sehun mused, splaying a hand over his bare torso and grimacing, “This is going to be a bitch. It’s going to bruise and look ugly as hell. I mean, I know I already have scars but contusions are just plain ugly as fuck."

“Not really, Doctor Im fixed you pretty good. The contusion should be fairly small and you should be okay if you don’t go brawling anytime soon.” 

“Not a chance.” 


	6. B E L I A L

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To bring wickedness and guilt; the chief of all devils.
> 
> N. B: AngstAngstAngstAngstMOREANGST. That's it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO HYPED FOR THIS CHAPTER.
> 
> Look I missed last week's update buuuutttt I'm compensating with a chapter that's twice as long as my normal ones with added stuff. 
> 
> N E Way leggo.

5\. B E L I A L 

“This is going to be a pain in the ass, Kai. Your Master doesn’t trust me. What if he locks me up again while you’re gone…” 

“Why would he lock you up again, Sehun?” Kai humoured the partially inebriated Sehun.

“I don’t know. Breathing wrong?” Sehun clucked his tongue and Kai laughed, knowing that was Sehun’s snappy attitude surfacing because he was craving a smoke. He noticed the blonde burrowing deeper into the blanket that barely wrapped around his wide shoulders.

“No one will be locked up while Kai is away… I can assure you that much, Sehun.” The Master’s voice came from behind Sehun, making the blonde jump in his seat. 

“When the _fuck_ did you get here?” Sehun clutched at his chest, trying to calm his racing heart, blanket dropping around him in a haphazard fashion. 

The Master shot Kai a questioning look and Kai fought a smile, “That’s mostly the medication talking so his brain to mouth filter isn’t working.” Kai supplied. 

“That particular filter works perfectly fine even when under influence of any sort, Kai. I meant what I said. He absolutely scared the fuck out of me by sneaking up on us like that, and I’ve my fair share of jump scares this evening. Thank you very much, sir, but let’s _not_ do that again.” Sehun prattled on.

Kai gave the Master a patient look.

“Are you sure we can plan with Sehun in such a condition?” Master Lee Hyun Woo asked Kai. 

“Absolutely. We have an Emperor to entertain so we need the fanciest party tricks and nothing plans party tricks like being wired as fuck…” Sehun grinned. 

Kai nodded to the Master, signalling that Sehun will be fine. Kai had experience with Sehun returning to the Manor under the influence of things that were barely legal. He had travelled injured in times when he needed surgery but had just kept moving forwards and didn’t pay it mind. He knew that the painkillers Doctor Im had given Sehun weren’t doing anything aside from loosening Sehun’s mouth. 

Sehun sighed and got up, too occupied with the slight sway of his physique to mind the crumpled heap of blanket he left behind on his seat. He had padded close to the wall, fingertips brushing the rough concrete as he made his way to the sink. 

The Master’s eyes widened a little in surprise as his gaze settled on Sehun’s scars. Sehun was gargling but the Master wasn’t paying attention to that – he found that he was almost concerned at the mess of scar tissue over Sehun’s skin. 

Sehun was mildly aware of the man watching over him. Had he the ability to clamp his mouth shut, he wouldn’t have said anything and watched over what became of the Master’s observation of his scars but Sehun’s mouth worked as fast as his mouth in that moment. 

“Do they bother you?” The blonde frowned unconsciously, trying to bait the man through the fog of his own mind. Sehun used to indulge in the habit of baiting people who had their attention on him with a pointed question. He used to do it in the hopes of deflecting his own discomfort by making others uncomfortable.

“What happened to you, child?” The Master asked calmly, he had seen men with nasty scars but the chaotic patterns across Sehun’s lower torso were telling of something more horrific. 

“The Emperor’s fucking Dragons.” And yet Sehun doesn’t hold as much venom in his voice in that moment as he did some ten months ago. 

“I got these the night I met them. My previous employer didn’t grasp the concept of firing people so they fancied kamikaze operations for operatives like me. Naturally, I didn’t know shit about this until the operation was a bust and I was trying to fight two Dragons at once.” Sehun snorted with how apathetic he was still toward the night he had to fight to live. 

Sehun has never told anyone about the way he can sometimes feel the phantom sensations in him – he can still feel the burn in his lungs from forcing himself to keep drawing slow and steady breaths despite his body locking with shock and trauma from all his injuries. He had pulled himself out of his own body rejecting his mind. 

“Living through that wasn’t all bad. I got to learn first-hand that they like to play with knives and that I don’t like dying. There isn’t much else to tell.” Sehun spoke with a steely tight voice, thinly veiled bitterness before he slipped the shirt over his head. 

“Ugh. _Short_ sleeves.” Sehun turned in Kai’s direction to complain. 

“It’s just until you get back to my wing to shower.” Kai placated him, waving off the bushy tailed blonde. 

“Why did you help Kai, despite already knowing what they were capable of? Most sane people would run away from reliving their worst experiences…” The Master questioned Sehun’s intent and the blonde knew that sort of questioning was a test; a measure of character, if you will.

“I’m not about to wax poetically about my shitty life experiences and my corny sentiment over my friendship with Kai but I think it would be nice if only one of us carried the scars and that the both of us don’t die. Besides I knew it wouldn’t be the same all over again if I met with them.” Sehun bared his teeth in a mean grin as his gaze flicked to where Kai was watching him.

The Master fought a smile, he could admire such character. In very few words, Sehun told Lee Hyun Woo more than enough to give the boy his respect.

“So, Master Lee Hyun Woo, what have you decided on my proposal to meet with the Emperor?” Sehun asked. 

“I accept this forced upon proposal. Even as it wounds my pride that the Emperor dared to send you back in his stead.” He answered, voice commanding. 

“Really?” Sehun looked a little shell shocked. 

“This lack of resistance by the Master is due to a compromise of sorts – it took some convincing and a scapegoat.” Kai filled in smoothly. 

Sehun processed that for a further thirty seconds before realisation hit him.

“Oh…” Sehun nodded in understanding, he then looked to Kai, “I don’t mind keeping up appearances. It’s a small price to earn peace between the Emperor and the Don of the Mafia. However, has this grand scheme considered what do we do with blonde, blue eyed and possibly crazy?” 

“That’s a calculated risk. We’re relying on the Master to either omit Tae completely or get him to comply. That seems to be for a time when Tae actually returns.” Kai filled in helpfully. 

“He left?” Sehun asked, unconsciously already trying to narrow the variable that is Tae.

“It’s very rare for him to stay at the Manor when he doesn’t have business.” The Master shared. Kai shared a knowing look with Sehun and nodded; the both of them already aware of the need to keep an eye on Tae’s movements. 

“We’ll have to look into that at some point or another but we don’t have the time right now.” Kai frowned, at the extra chore in his list.

“Plan of action?” Sehun dismissed the heavy tense air and focused at the task at hand. He may have survived the wrath of the Mafia but he had the Emperor and his deal to take care of – Sehun felt like clicking his tongue, thinking about dealing with Medusa alone was a pain in the ass already. 

“Simple. You’re going back to the Emperor – tell him of my compliance but you will stall for time, Oh Sehun. We must locate Lee Min in that time and secure the safety of the Manor. Can you guarantee that my household will avoid any sort of negative backlash for such a condition?” 

Sehun looked thrown for a moment.

“I think that may be possible. A grace period isn’t much to ask for especially if we appear forthcoming and passive. But he will ask why we would ask for such a thing.” Sehun mused, hoping he could charm Kim Jaejoong in his favour. 

“Be honest.” The Master shrugged a shoulder. 

“Master, you can’t be serious.” Kai looked alarmed. 

“Internal affairs of a household aren’t uncommon, Kai. Sehun is going to use his talent to twist our reality for us.”

“You give me way too much credit to handle an Emperor, sir.” Sehun huffed.

“You’re the one who was declaring to go out in blazing glory for fighting an Emperor.” Kai snorted mirthlessly, “But what about the Dragons?” Kai raised an eyebrow. 

“The Dragons will be difficult but not impossible; they are perceptive in moments you bank on them to not be so trying to hide in plain sight with them requires a little extra effort.” Sehun shivered, thinking about grey eyes and invasive touches, promptly ignoring the inquisitive look that passed over Kai’s features. 

“Where will you look for Lee Min?” Sehun asked Kai, deflecting the attention. 

“His apartment is first. We need to confirm if he is missing or not.” Kai explained; his face set in hard grim lines. He didn’t want to believe that Min could have been snatched away from his life so easily. It was too cruel, especially when they had just managed to fix things. 

“We more or less have a good strategy in place and if all goes to hell then we declare war on the Emperor and kamikaze.” Sehun nodded sagely and got up, staggering on the spot a little before he made for the exit. 

The Master chuckled before he could stop himself. 

“It won’t come to that.” 

“No. It won’t indeed. I won’t let it.” Sehun sobered with his heavy words, “I promised you that when I arrived all those weeks ago and I promised it to you before we left the Undercity and I’ll promise it to you again, Kai. You have a home to protect and I will help you do that no matter what the Emperor wants to throw at this household.”

Sehun exited and headed for Kai’s wing. 

Kai was left in the basement cell with his Master, the air heavy with dense silence. Kai could feel the tension in his body bleeding away as he stared up at the ceiling, he breathed deep and heavily before he spoke. 

“Master…” Kai started. 

“No, Kai.” The older man’s sharp tone made Kai’s head snap in his Master’s direction to protest but Lee Hyun Woo had raised a hand and Kai shut his mouth immediately, a little bewildered by the halting action.

“Maybe one day… this old man will ask you for forgiveness, Kai. I didn’t bring you up in the best way but –“ 

“You taught me how to survive, Master. You do recall I didn’t have an easy life prior to the Lee Household. This is better than the drug dens and living on the streets. I owe you that much, even if my hands get dirty. So don’t regret it – not when you praise me as your best made in this household.” Kai squared his shoulders in a somewhat twisted feeling of pride.

“Do you really not mind clinging to that identity of yours?” 

“It isn’t about my identity right now, Master. I am no longer seventeen and struggling with being honest with myself.” Kai grinned a little, “This is about finding Lee Min and I will use every last trick I have because he needs to be found and he needs to come back home.” Kai offered sincerely, feeling the flicker of a memory from when he had turned eighteen. 

Ever since the entire situation with Dominic Cross at the September Spring Meeting with the inner circle, Min had been pushing to leave the Manor despite university only starting in February the following year but the Master had barely coaxed Min to stay for the festive period, placating the Heir to stay until the New Year. 

Kai had a total of three personal interactions with Min outside of all formalities and business sit downs and each one felt more damaging. He had utterly lost control over Min’s reactions to him. Min had closed himself off so well that it was beginning to frustrate Kai. The indifference was somewhat maddening because Min’s anger was his only tie to Min and that had been cleanly cut off. 

However the last one was the most fragile. 

> _It was an unusually cold night in January in the week that followed after New Year’s celebrations when Kai had encountered Min in new wing (which would later become Kai’s personal wing). The eighteen year old had been swaddled up in a fluffy tan sweater but had his cream fleece blanket draped around his shoulders as he sat on the lip of the incomplete balcony with his fleece pyjama pants clad legs dangling off. _
> 
> _Kai had been there because he was retrieving the bottle of chocolate vodka he had left in his old bedroom that connected to the new wing – in fact they were extending his bedroom for his eighteenth birthday. He had left a lot of his stuff in two industrial sized boxes in the old room while he camped out in another part of the Manor._
> 
> _He had taken the chocolate vodka up that night he slept with Ara because it was the only way to fool his body that he was actually horny enough for something else that wasn’t Lee Min._
> 
> _It was after retrieving the bottle, he found Min sprawled out as he lay down on his blanket with something clutched to his chest, the moonlight falling on his face in choppy shafts of light as it forced it way between the hard stone balustrades. The shocking thing was that Min’s hair was the shade of shining obsidian. _
> 
> ** _Why did he dye his hair? _ **
> 
> _He could see Min’s façade slipping that night. Kai could actually tell that Lee Min was sad._
> 
> ** _Whatever for? He wanted to leave anyways. _ **
> 
> _ Kai’s breath hitched when Min had turned on his side and caught Kai. _
> 
> _They locked their eye contact for a few moments and Min didn’t seem to know what to do as the little brown leatherback novel fell from his chest, spilling the three photographs that he had tucked in them. Min gasped, rolling onto his knees to crawl over to the spilled photographs. _
> 
> _He had gotten the first two but Kai had picked up the third. He recognised the picture. It was one of the rare times Kai allowed himself to be photographed. It was when he and Min had went dirt biking._
> 
> _“Please give it back.” Min’s voice was flat and cold._
> 
> _“Why do you have these?” Kai asked in a cruel tone._
> 
> _“I used to have these. I don’t need them now because I’ll be leaving soon. I came up here to burn these.” Min sniffed._
> 
> _Kai could clearly see Min lying and he wanted to torment him further. _
> 
> _“Why are you even here, Minnie?” _
> 
> _“Does it matter to you what I do with my nights left in this Manor?” _
> 
> _“Not at all. You’ve made that pretty clear when you turned down my offer even after Dominic.” _
> 
> _He almost wanted to revel in the way Min flinched at the mention of Dominic. _
> 
> _“I can’t sleep. I haven’t been able to sleep properly… since Dominic.” Min admitted, looking away. _
> 
> ** _Well, neither have I. _ **
> 
> _It’s true, Kai hadn’t known any peace since Min had left him with both nightmares and wet dreams and he’d be thankful if they were far and few but he’s been tormented for his want for the Lee Heir and the Lee Heir’s harsh words. He can’t sleep when he dreams of Min crying and lashing out at him and blaming him – no, blaming Kai. _
> 
> _It was a battle trying to separate himself from who he really was and what he was capable of doing. But it was times like that he as desperate to be Jongin so he wouldn’t be the source of Min’s pain._
> 
> _“So you haunt the Manor and wander the halls in the middle of the night?” _
> 
> _“Why are you spying on me, Kai?” Min huffed. _
> 
> _“I’m not. I’m here for my alcohol stash. I just happened to see what I thought was a sad ghost trying to haunt the new wing extension.” Kai snorted, holding up the long three-quarters-filled bottle. “Want some?” Kai asked as he uncapped and took a mouthful in. _
> 
> _“No.” _
> 
> _“You’re already eighteen and you’re still so uptight about alcohol.”_
> 
> _“I’ve favoured wine since I was sixteen.” Min argued which made Kai laugh. _
> 
> _Kai walked over and sat down beside Min’s blanket, pointedly not invading Min’s space but extended the bottle. _
> 
> _“Pretend you’re drinking something chocolate with a kick.” _
> 
> _Min took the bottle and drank; his mouth in a grimace over the burn at the back of his throat. _
> 
> _“Why are you and I even drinking together? We don’t even talk to each other anymore.” Min huffed as they got to around to knocking off quarter._
> 
> _“I think it’s a farewell of sorts. Here’s to hoping you don’t come back, Minnie. Here’s to mourning my last and only chance to fuck you before you’re gone. Here’s to burning those memories when you burn those photos.” Kai snorted, chugging._
> 
> _Min reached out and snatched the bottle out of Kai’s grasp but Kai held on. _
> 
> _“Watch it, you spoiled Prince. I’m nice enough to share, but I don’t tolerate rudeness.” Kai snarked. _
> 
> _“Oh for fuck sakes. Not you too.” Min groaned at the mention of his new found title. He sort of raised his reputation with his new found extreme personality – he used to be uptight and meek but Min was perceived as arrogant and cold._
> 
> _“Wow. Struggles of fame.” Kai’s mouth slanted lopsidedly and Min stares too long. _
> 
> _“Fuck off. I’m stealing your alcohol too.” Min grouched, downing the last of the chocolate vodka that Kai had been gathering in a dip of the bottle. He had been holding it at an angle for the greater of two minutes before he’d down it but Min snatched it away and a buzzed Kai doesn’t have it in him to steal back. _
> 
> _Min practically moaned in appreciation after polishing off the last of the vodka and Kai feared that now he had an idea of what Min would sound like in his dreams. He reclined back into the blanket and Kai made out the dark choppy long bangs cutting over Min’s barely opened eyes. _
> 
> _Kai leaned over until he was able to steal the very same breath on Min’s lips. _
> 
> _“The fuck are you doing, you asshole? You’re making this a lot more difficult than it’s meant to be.” Min muttered, feeling the burn of his blush on his cheeks but he doesn’t dare tear away from Kai’s electrifying eye contact. It was so much different from Jongin’s gentle gaze. _
> 
> _Kai’s eyes were different. Min couldn’t exactly put into words but Kai’s eyes were sharper, darker – be it the intent behind it or how well he had shut off every emotion behind it – but there was something almost salacious about them when his eyes were robbed of the light in them._
> 
> _He watched Kai’s intense gaze drop from his own eyes to his lips._
> 
> _“You’ve got chocolate on your lips.” Kai breathed like he was sharing a secret with Min, the lilt in his voice was tempting. _
> 
> _“No fucking way.” Min’s brown eyes flicker with mild irritation before they dulled when he deadpans and that was when Kai realised that something shifted with Min. He assumed by now the Lee Heir would have shied away, a burning blushing mess because of the suggestive intent behind pointing the chocolate on his lips. _
> 
> _But there was this new grown Min who didn’t shy away. He hadn’t changed entirely. His delicate features tinged pink as his blush burned along the curve of his cheeks and his usually pink mouth stained with vodka and chocolate – two things that were currently Kai’s favourite. He could taste the bitter chocolate in his own mouth and yet his mind was doing the evil thing about how it probably tasted sweeter inside Min’s mouth._
> 
> _This new Min was aware and that was probably the scariest thing Kai had learned – Min had forced himself out of his own naivety to protect himself and not seem weak. Kai drew back from just leaning into Min’s space._
> 
> _ “What do you want to do about it?” Kai raised an eyebrow, crawling onto the blanket and over Min. His hands on either side of Min’s head as he leaned back in looking down on Min. _
> 
> _Min had said nothing but his eyes had widened as he tilted his head up to stare at Kai. The seventeen year old swore his heart caught in his throat. Min was so fucking beautiful. He did have any right to be so breath taking. His brown eyes were pools of honey in the moonlight, shining and defiant to the point it was so sexy to see something so fierce on features as delicate as Min. _
> 
> _“Well, Lee Min?” Kai prompted with a devilish grin._
> 
> _ Min had darted his tongue across his lower lip, slow and pointedly, practically making a show of it for Kai. _
> 
> _“Nice try, Minnie.” Kai breathed a light laugh at the nerve Min had._
> 
> ** _He is so beautiful. _ **
> 
> _And for some reason it hurt thinking about the fact that Min was leaving. _
> 
> ** _You’re letting go of me too easily…_ **
> 
> _Kai’s hand reached into Min’s silky black hair and he felt Min tense up._
> 
> _“What now…” Min taunted in a low tone but he was cut off by Kai’s long fingers carding through his hair. He brushed aside the bangs off Min’s eyebrows._
> 
> _“I like your hair like this.” Kai murmured softly. _
> 
> _“What’s this? You like something about me after all these years?” Min sassed back, trying to stifle the little shiver he could feel running along his spine. _
> 
> _“Careful, Minnie. You just may steal my heart with that attitude.” Min really hated how that he was etching his last memories of Kai like this – he really didn’t want to remember Kai’s voice dripping with mirth and his smile reflecting his morbid humour. _
> 
> ** _But this was the real Kai wasn’t it. _ **
> 
> ** _Deceptively beautiful, wrapped in riches and cold hearted. _ **
> 
> _It wasn’t helping that Min’s mind was framing Kai against the gold leaf painted and coffered ceiling, like the artwork dared to embrace something like Kai. He was nothing short of a masterpiece but unrefined in every sense despite how polish he looked. _
> 
> _It would have been better to commit to a snarling expression and blood stained image of Kai when he was pitting hateful and cruel words at him. He had tried to carve it into his nightmares to hate Kai but his heart was a fucking traitor. Min found it cruel and unbecoming of himself for daring to yearn for a forgotten person and finding comfort in a stranger with the same face. It should have been hysterically amusing with how easy Kai had managed to erase his dark demeanour with just his smile. _
> 
> ** _It’s like looking at the untainted but matured version Jongin._ **
> 
> _“Damn, that easy huh.” Min lower lip quivered a little before he bit down on it and tilted his head to the side, staring at the photograph edges sticking out from his novel through his long hair. Kai frowned, unsure of what Min’s tone or words meant – it was clear those words weren’t a retort but at the same time, Kai knew those words were meant for him – he wasn’t sure about the intent behind them._
> 
> _Kai couldn’t help himself but he raked his hand through Min’s hair from the top of his scalp and back over the curve of his head until he was scratching along the sensitive membrane of Min’s nape. He didn’t realise the severity of the action because Min shuddered until he let out a gasp. _
> 
> _Kai was surprised and scratched more firmly, the entire sensation left the cold Lee Heir almost boneless and lax. He saw Min’s eyelashes fluttering open but those honeyed pools were unfocused. _
> 
> _He repeated the action and Kai’s jaw nearly dropped slack in shock when he heard the pleased whine escape from Min’s lips. _
> 
> _In his state of shock, he hadn’t realised that Min jerked and reached up, grasping Kai’s wrist to halt the ministration – his grip was tight. _
> 
> _“Stop touching me.” Min huffed, his cheeks flushing a darker shade of red as they stained over but he wouldn’t look at Kai._
> 
> _Kai withdrew his touch but observed Min. The older didn’t do anything further. _
> 
> _“Can you leave so I can burn those pictures?” Min sighed tiredly, his tone was small and Kai could sense a lie in that._
> 
> _Kai narrowed his eyes at Min before he got off the Lee Heir and flopped onto his back, brushing shoulders with Min. _
> 
> _“Where’s your lighter?” Kai asked, fishing to see how far Min had this lie thought out. _
> 
> _“Don’t worry about it.” Min sighed tiredly. _
> 
> _“You don’t have one with you, do you?” _
> 
> _“Why does it matter to you?” Min clucked his tongue in annoyance. _
> 
> _Kai turned towards Min, staring at the shining black hair. He reached once more, delving his fingertips into Min’s hair before he turned Min’s head toward him, until they were brushing noses. _
> 
> _“My best friend is leaving and probably never coming back…” _
> 
> _Min’s chest stutters with his shaky breath._
> 
> _“What does that mean for me after you hating me?” Kai continued; pressing his forehead to Min’s while his hand slid down to wrap around Min’s nape. _
> 
> _“Don’t…” Min begged under his breath. He doesn’t think he’d be able to take it if Kai reaffirmed how much he hated Min in these last few months._
> 
> _“Annyeonghi Kaseyo, Uri Minnie.” Kai smiled, brushing his lips against the corner of Min’s mouth. _
> 
> _And Min’s entire world shatters. _
> 
> _He looks to Kai with shaking blown pupils and hot tears gathering in his eyes, “Why would you –“ _
> 
> _“Shh… It’s done, Minnie. We’re letting go now.” Kai flashed a self-depreciating smile, catching the first tear on Min’s cheek by tracing the curve of his cheek with his roughened thumb._
> 
> _“W – Wait!” Min tried to grasp onto Kai’s retreating hand by the wrist._
> 
> _“Don’t do that to yourself. This – **tonight** – is a lie, Minnie. I would never be this if you changed your mind and stayed.” Kai frowned, pulling Min’s hand off his own wrist._

Kai would be lying if he said he doesn’t remember going back the next day to find the blanket in that spot – damp with tears and specks of ash in it. 

_Maybe Min really did burn those pictures._

Kai had the made it his goal to have a talent for thriving on survival instincts in battle. He need anything that gave him the edge that made him stand apart from others around him but he didn’t understand that nuance of life where he could separate his expected job and his own character – instead at seventeen, he deemed himself a monster which resulted in his wrecked relationship with Min. 

In time, Kai made peace with the sin staining his hands for the Hell of a world they lived in and he had finally forgiven himself after years of abusive self-loathing. He was above his abilities – he wasn’t just a killing machine for his Master. 

He doesn’t wait for the Master to respond, given the almost broken look in those mature features of the Master.

_Does he regret it? Maybe. _

_It would be concerning for honing survival skills into the very basis of an offensive arsenal._

_Does he hate me? _

_Not in the least. If anything, I’ve bought a plus point with the Master again. _

_Feels kind of nice, considering the spitting words from dinner. _

_It’s been a wild night. _

Kai bows, murmuring about preparing to leave back to the Undercity. 

* * *

“Luhan Hyung?” Sehun called out, hoping his voice was clear as it carried through the bedroom door he stood in front of. 

Madam Kang had found Sehun limping towards Kai’s wing. She had immediately dragged him to the guest wing, forcing Sehun to shower to scrub the blood out of his blonde hair and foul acid clinging to him. She had Sehun dressed in fresh clothes and new plasters over his nicks and cuts before she showed him where Luhan was. He stood there leaning against the door, the meds finally kicking in and making sleep seeping bone deep into his very being. He didn’t have much time before he passed out. It didn’t help with the black thin fleece long sleeve shirt and grey sweatpants she had given him was making him hazy with cosiness. 

“Kai brought me back. I’m coming in, okay?” Sehun coaxed softly as he unlatched the door and waited a heartbeat. Luhan didn’t scream or throw anything so Sehun breathed a sigh of relief and pushed open the door. 

The room was in complete darkness when Sehun stepped in and found Luhan sitting on the bed staring into space blankly despite being turned to the window. 

“Luhan Hyungie?” 

A blur of copper and brown lunged at Sehun. 

“Sehunnie, you’re back!” He cried into the fresh shirt. 

Sehun chuckled even as his eyes glazed over, his body protesting as his muscles locked up with pain. 

“Of course I’m back. Kai promised you, didn’t he?” Sehun smiled, not his usual one when he was teasing someone but it was genuine and warming. Those kinds of smiles form Sehun were rare and it made Luhan perk up, a large sweater sleeve scrubbing at his dried tear tracked face as he smiled back.

“Where is Kai?” Luhan asked in a small voice, it was a little hoarse – Had he been crying that much? 

“Heading for the Undercity. He’ll be back tomorrow or so, I guess.” 

“He’s searching for Lee Min, isn’t he?” Luhan furrowed his eyebrows, concentrating hard on how to think through the blanket of numbness that came with the aftermath of a panic attack. 

“Yes.” Sehun murmured softly as he wrapped his arms around Luhan, slumping with exhaustion, “We have a lot to plan. But it can wait until after a nap, right, Lu Hyung?” 

“A nap?” Luhan’s tone was almost confused. 

“Don’t you need one of those after a panic attack?” 

“I do. I couldn’t sleep even with my medication because I was waiting for you or Kai to pitch up.” He gave an uneasy laugh. 

“We’ll always come back, Hyung.” 

“I know.” Luhan smiled gently as he leaned into Sehun, knowing that he could feel his maknae’s presence.

There was a beat of silence before Sehun spoke. 

“Hyung… I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you when they attacked the library.” 

“What more could you have done, Sehun?” 

“Murdered them all.” Sehun voice was low; it was soft but tinted with something dangerous. 

“And how would that have helped Kai or me?” 

“Not much.” Luhan smiled at the huff he heard above his head.

“Exactly. You did your best within your limits. You didn’t compromise what we needed to do. I just need to be more careful and maybe a little braver.” 

“Hyung, you’re the bravest. Anyone would have run away from this field after ending up with trauma…” Sehun knew he would ghost if he didn’t have promises to keep. 

“I tried… but I can’t get out of the habit. I keep looking for trouble to deal with. That’s why I sought you out.” 

Sehun snickered, “And here I thought you loved me.” 

“I do but I needed purpose too, Sehunnie.” 

“Did I do good on that?” Sehun grinned into the air. 

“Hell yes. There hasn’t been a dull moment since I found you again.”

* * *

** _A suburb in the surrounding areas of the HUB: Min’s Apartment. _ **

Kai stood on Min’s doorstep, not really sure how to go about getting into Min’s apartment. 

He could have easily broken into the apartment like he did the last time but he didn’t want to enter like a thief in the middle of the night – granted it was the wee hours of the morning and the sky would only start showing signs of sunrise in a few hours but he knew that wasn’t the best option. Kai wasn’t even sure if Min was inside said apartment. Maybe he was – Kai liked to think that the blonde was sleeping in his room, unaware of all the chaos within the Manor. 

_Was he still blonde or had he changed that again?_

_Was he using that soft grey hoodie that was two sizes too big for him?_

His body felt far too stiff in the slight bite of the crisp morning air but it took herculean effort to face Min – he longed for it but Kai was anticipating the worst. 

It felt more difficult than his emotions for Min at seventeen. 

_Maybe because I have everything to lose if he rejects me now._

He flexed his stiff fingers, clenching and unclenching tight fists at his side before he took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Minnie.” Kai cursed mentally at how small his voice sounded, he hated that he was trying to talk around all the phantom cotton wool in his mouth, “Are you home? It’s – Ka – Jongin. I know it’s late but can I come in? Let’s talk, please.” Kai pressed himself close to the door, listening for any sign of life stirring behind the door.

He knocked a little harder. 

“Minnie… Answer the door, please.” He pleaded under his breath, already feeling lead-like anxiousness lining his stomach.

_Don’t do this to me, please. Not when I just managed to convince him to come back to me._

Kai’s head dropped; chin on his chest as his shoulders slumped. He almost knew Min wasn’t home. There wasn’t anyone in the apartment and he hadn’t the faintest of where Lee Min was – he felt a little foolish putting his manners before his concern. He should already be inside and not standing at the front door, his right hand a little tender from knocking and his left hand almost crushing his cell phone that had a string of texts and unanswered calls to Minnie. 

Kai sighed, pocketing his phone and chiding himself, lying to himself that Min was at his night shift job. He pulled out the picklock pins in his pocket. 

He’s going to do it again. 

Petulant and taunting. 

Daring to do it in the hopes it will play out just as it had all those months ago when he stepped into min’s apartment. 

He was doing it out of sheer defiance – defying the worst possibility. 

Kai was silently wishing and anticipating that Min would return after work and will find Kai on his sofa, only to pick a fight with him for breaking into the apartment again, threaten to kick Kai out or maybe just maybe tongue lash him for his disappearance and breaking their promise and hopefully Kai would get to kiss Lee Min breathless to – to do just exactly that. He didn’t get to kiss Min not nearly enough as he would have liked because Kai knew there was still so much more to explore than stealing Min’s breath or leaving him flushed but deep down Kai already knew that he loved the feeling of kissing Min purely because it isn’t that simple. 

He knew he could tell Min things with such an intimate gesture. It was a way to leave things unsaid but it was a way of understanding because words weren’t good for them – Kai had used them too often to hurt Min and Min always had sadness in his – something Kai was hoping to erase. 

And right in that moment, Kai’s chest was tight with craving and desperation for that type of clarity between them. He needed to apologise. 

He needed to reaffirm to Min that nothing had changed. 

He needed to fix the promise he broke to Min. 

But Kim Kai actually needed Lee Min to be around for that to happen. 

He entered the dark apartment silently and wrinkled his nose at the stale air in the apartment – it was stuffy and dank and almost heavy as if windows hadn’t been opened in the space for weeks. Kai snapped on the lights and his eyebrows furrowed. The apartment was tidy yet there was a light layer of dust on the shelves and tables. 

_This isn’t how lived-in spaces look. _

_This isn’t how Min behaves at home. _

Kai entered the kitchen, taking in the empty sink and bare counters – everything had been put away. 

_He could have done this before he left for the Manor. _

Kai hummed under his breath, a little concerned at such worrying behaviour and pulled open the fridge door; he sucked in a deep breath and pressed the cuff of his sleeve to his nose at the odour and narrowed his eyes at the food moulding in their containers. 

_Food hasn’t been consumed in this apartment for weeks. Why would Min just stop coming back? Only the Master and I knew of the location of his apartment – no one knows Lee Min lives here. _

_Where would Lee Min go to that he’d take just his car?_

Kai felt his blood pounding in his ears the more he tried to make sense of the situation. He shut the fridge door and headed deeper into the apartment as he searched for some tell-tale of Min’s disappearance. 

He rounded to Min’s bedroom.

He gritted his teeth when found the sheets made up and dusty. Kai searched the bathroom – the sink and shower bone dry and covered in settled dust as if they hadn’t been used in weeks.

It was so fucking obvious that Lee Min had never returned to his home.

He found Min’s grey hoodie a crumpled heap on the foot of the bed. He took the musty fabric in his hands and found his eyes stinging and burning when he found no wafting scent of roses mixing with Min’s deodorant. 

Kai’s breath hitched in the realisation. He felt his chest tighten with awful crushing guilt as his hands tightened their grasp on the hoodie. 

_I should have been around to stop this. I should have made sure he couldn’t leave the Manor. _

Kai stood in the middle of Min’s dark room, not understanding how it had come to that very moment in what appeared to Min’s abandoned apartment. 

_He’s gone and no one looked for him, thinking he was hiding here like usual. _

_He’s gone. Again. _

Kai hadn’t realised that he had crashed to the floor until pain was dully registering in his knees. He was barely holding himself upright; the foot of Min’s bed was shouldering his weight as he leaned heavily against it. He couldn’t think straight not when the unavoidable heavy truth was sinking into him and gripping him with fear.

_Min was missing._

Kai gritted his teeth again. 

For years, he never once fretted over Min staying in the Undercity because he had always know where Min was. He never feared the distance with Min because he knew was never within reach but he wasn’t unreachable. 

_But this is different. _

He couldn’t comprehend the fear clawing into him. 

He didn’t like the lead that was lining his stomach and making him feel sick with the fact that he didn’t know where Lee Min was. 

Kai barely understood the winded feeling in his chest and the choking sensation of his throat closing up. His anger had pushed that away, pushed away the feeling of screaming, pushed away the feeling of collapsing to his knees. He could barely contain sudden surge of anger in him. It was tinting his entire sight red with the urge to kill something – to rid of the sick feeling in him – to find and protect Min. 

He’s out somewhere in the Undercity, unknown to anyone who can help him – save him.

No one just leaves like so unless they were to ghost their life but Min wasn’t a man who ran away.

Yes, Min liked to remove himself from being directly involved but he had never once dared to desert. He was a pacifist if Kai really had to think of it but none of that mattered when Lee Min needed to be found. 

Min wasn’t someone who could go missing easily, leaving aside the fact that he was the Lee Heir to the Undercity’s Mafia – he was someone’s son, someone’s lover, and a friend to too many to count. He couldn’t go missing without a trace. 

It was late but someone was bound to notice, no matter how well they would cover their tracks. He had rolled his stiff jaw, deciding on how to move forward from this. It was a hunt for the Lee Heir and for once Min wasn’t being hunted down like prey. No, it was a search and rescue but Kai just needed to calm the fuck down just enough to look for all the signs that would lead him to Min. 

“I’ll find you. I swear it. You’ll be home safe soon, Min.” Kai’s quiet vow settled heavily into the dense walls of Min’s apartment, unaware of the burning stinging tears in his eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was rough wasn't it. Rant, vent, rage and tell me all about it in the comments 👀


	7. 6.   S A M E     C O I N,   D I F F E R E N T    S I D E

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR MC WHO HAS FINALLY EMERGED FROM THE DEPTHS OF OBLIVION FOR THIS CHAPTER.
> 
> LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR RIDICULOUSLY HOT AND RIDICULOUSLY CRAZY VILLIAN WHO WE ALL LOVE TO HATE AND HATE TO LOVE.
> 
> Basically I. Am. Excited. For. Everyone's. Reactions. 
> 
> This chapter is a wildt ride. Buckle the fuck up for the fun. 
> 
> Um. Some extra trigger warnings so like blood. Knives. Uhm. Foul language. Morbid conversation. Mind games.

6\. S A M E C O I N, D I F F E R E N T S I D E

_The Industrial Area Outskirts: Tae’s Den. _

_Time: The very same time Kai is at Min’s apartment. _

Tae had exited the Mirage after he had checked on the performance report and sales for the night. It had been the first normal week for the Mirage since Tae had ended reopening specials and celebrations. He had taken the quick route between all the quiet streets out of the HUB and had headed to the Industrial Area. 

Although Tae had business in the Undercity he had been going back and forth with the Den and the Mirage with Sakura only – he really couldn’t afford to be driving Min’s Charger into dodgy areas of the Undercity least it be noticed or worse, his Den becomes discovered along with the recently missing Lee Heir in his position. 

He had gone through the routine of stashing Sakura in the container and rounded his way to the container with the lift. After exiting the lift that opened into the Den’s common area, Tae headed for the crates of food. He rummaged for a moment before picking up a packet of dried banana crisps. 

He stepped into the hallway, his new dress shoes echoing footsteps as he went along slowly until he pulled out the key that he had taken from his office safe to unlock his bedroom door. 

He stepped into the dark room and hit the switch to reveal the dimly lit bedroom. 

He sighed when he found the figure, sitting upright with his back against the wall but slumped over, seemingly completely asleep. Tae could make out the crown of shining long ginger brown hair that tumbled over the figure’s face, the hair was practically a thick curtain as the person’s head hung over his lap in his sleep. 

He was dressed in a white hoodie and grey sweatpants that didn’t belong to him. He seemed at ease, considering how the shoulders were completely drooped while his wrists lay in his lap bound in leather cuffs with a short lead of chain between them, his wrists raw and bruised from abuse and chaffing. The cuffs had a long chain lead that was hooked around the foot of the bed.

Tae took another step in and shut the door loudly but the other didn’t flinch. 

“Min.” He called out softly, but he was sure that the other heard him clearly. He dumped most of his pocket’s contents on the glass desk and he had dropped the packet of banana chips on the table. He loosened the watch around his wrist, shaking the loosened links to slip off his wrist. He set it down on the table whilst taking a peek at the other man through his wild blonde hair. 

He sighed, when he caught the slight twitch in Min’s left hand in his lap.

“Lee Min. Wake up.” He decided to play along with Min feigning sleep. He bit the inside of his cheek, a little annoyed with how Min was ignoring him. It had been a few days of silence between them and it was beginning to get under his skin. He walked over, slow and daunting steps towards Min.

Tae reached out to card a hand through the soft brown hair, almost surprised at how Min didn’t tense at his touch. 

“_Minnie~_” He cooed softly, “Won’t you wake up and talk to me?” He asked in a soft tone, carding his hand through the silky locks. It was unnaturally soft and Tae could smell his own shampoo clinging to Min. 

But Min didn’t reply. 

It was then Tae’s hand in the Min’s hair closed into a fist, tugging hard as he jerked Min toward him for momentum before Min was hurled backward, smashing the back of Min’s head against the concrete wall. The cry of pain from the soft male was instantaneous, that followed up with filthy curses as he spat protests as he thrashed to shake Tae’s hold. 

But Tae hadn’t released his grip on Min’s hair, “Calm the fuck down or I’m going to do it again.” Tae hissed softly. 

He watched, his eyes focusing on the way Min’s resistance died instantly. Min sucked in a deep breath, head tipped slightly back due to Tae’s grip, before groaning in pain as his head was still pressed against the concrete wall.

Tae didn’t pity his pain or want to have mercy on him yet he almost relished in controlling the Lee Heir like so. Tae yanked Min forward, the Lee Heir putting up no fight and only used his bound hands to grip at the edge of the bed to not fall forward. 

Tae was being cruel, practically dangling him off centred off the bed. 

“Minnie.” Tae’s voice came hard and like a crack of a whip.

He waited for a response before he huffed and tightened his grip, tugging Min’s head backward until it was almost painful. He was staring down at the curtain of brown bangs fanning over Min’s thin face and his parted lips. 

“Are you ignoring me?” Tae asked in a cutting tone. 

Tae’s other hand came up to grip Min at the neckline to hoist him up a little. But Min still wouldn’t look at him. 

“Look at me.” Tae hissed. 

If anything Lee Min had slumped further, like dead weight in Tae arms. Tae chuckled in an icy tone and he felt Min physically steel himself.

“Look at me or I carve another wound into you.” Tae spat the threat in a low menacing snarl.

Lee Min then raised his head and Tae made out chocolate brown eyes glaring at him through the gaps of his unruly hair. They were clear and hardened with hate while he bared his teeth at Tae, his bleached lips curling back in disgust. He had begun to tremble in Tae’s grasp as he breathed through his gritted teeth.

“Are you still mad with me?” Tae asked, taunting the obvious enraged expression on the Lee Heir. 

“_Fuck. You_.” Min’s scratchy and broken voice summoned all its strength as he swore at Tae emphatically. 

Tae regarded Min and the verbal abuse for a second before he broke out into a cold smile and he swore he felt Min jolt in fear, compromising his balance but Tae fisted the hoodie neckline and kept Min in place.

“You almost scared me, Minnie. You don’t understand how much I hate when you ignore me.” Tae snickered; he angled Min’s head by his hair once more – his neck straining with the upward pull on the muscles to make Min’s head tilt up, barely grazing Tae’s chin level, it was almost mocking with the way he was bent over Min. The brown eyed heir glowered up at Tae, breathing heavily as he hissed out in pain.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Min hissed out through his pain.

“As I recall I happen to own this Den and this is my bedroom.” He breathed another chilling laugh. 

“Fuck off, Tae.” Lee Min hissed out and lunged forward to throw the balance, hoping to ram Tae in the chest. 

However Tae let go in the same moment to crouch lower than Min’s lunge to jab Min in gut. He was content with the immediate bitten choke he heard before he used his fist to propel Min backward, pleased as the flower boy heir winced when his back hit the wall again, shallow laboured breaths as he grasped at his side. 

“Must we always be so uncivilised?” Tae clucked his tongue softly and walked back over to his desk, shrugging off his leather jacket, draping on the backrest of his desk chest before he rolled it over to the front of the desk and dropped into it, swiping the banana crisps off the desk and setting it in his lap while having his legs kicked up on the glass desk. 

“It’s so early and your mood is already so nasty towards me.” Tae tutted softly, looking at Min with a dark look.

“What the fuck do you want, Tae?” Min asked the question between his gritted teeth, his face scrunching up with pain.

“Does my company bother you?” Tae grinned, popping open the packet of banana chips. 

“I was beginning to enjoy captivity without you.” Min spat, shifting his position and winced a little. 

“You’re injuring me, Min. I genuinely thought we could actually have some bonding time together. Aren’t you hungry, Min?” His gaze lingered over the way Min placed the effort of moving his body on his right side, before he waved a chip at Min.

“Not a chance. Even if I was, I wouldn’t accept.” Min scoffed.

Tae shrugged and popped the chip in his mouth, “Your loss.” 

“I think I consider it my win. I keep my dignity a little longer.” Min spat, “Pray tell what would happen if I said yes. I don’t exactly see you shifting to hand me that packet.” 

“Oh, this _is_ entertaining. It’s nice to play with someone who can be on the same level. It’s a bit sad that you’re too proud to crawl over here to be fed. Does it bother that you would be practically eating from my fingertips?” Tae smirked, taking the moment to be proud of the insinuation before popping another chip into his mouth. 

“I’m glad my pride humours you.” The flower boy frowned. 

Tae sighed, his mood sobering, “Yes. While you pride and stubbornness is admirable, another hunger strike would be bothersome and unfavourable.” 

“Oh? Now I’m bothersome and unfavourable? Why suddenly so concerned about whether I eat or not?” Min scoffed. 

“You’re mine to play with while I bide my time, Min. I want you to be able at the very least. A one sided chase is boring.” Min felt sick with the satisfied gleam in Tae’s eyes. He could have picked the fight, asking Tae what more could he want from Min. 

Min would have, had it not been for the injuries he had. 

_That is for another time._

“You’re still not telling me why you’re here.” Min ignored biting the bait of Tae’s words and moved on. 

Tae shot him an irritated look, clearly understanding that Min wasn’t in the mood to verbally spar with him. He got off the chair and set the chips down, cleaning his hand off. 

“I wanted to ask a few questions.” Tae sounded conversational, stopping mid stride to word himself correctly but also to take in how Min was sprawled out in his bed, chained and still as defiant as the first night he had been kidnapped.

“And it couldn’t have waited until I was awake?” Min raised an eyebrow. 

“It could but I’m impatient and I can’t enjoy anything until I have everything figured out.” Tae mused, running a hand through his hair, rubbing at the back of his neck.

“So you’ve discovered you’re anal and now you can’t work around it?” 

Min had barely got the spiteful words out of his mouth but Tae was right beside him in that moment, looking down on Min with his features twisted with his thundering expression before he grabbed Min by the hoodie neckline with one hand and had his blade flicking into place in his other. 

“Don’t get fucking ballsy with me, Minnie. I’m not in the mood to find your defiance adorable today. Do you have any idea what a shit evening I’ve endured because of you?” He hissed his heated words at Min, pressing the blade to the underside of the brown haired man’s jaw.

“What the fuck are you talking about? I’ve been here all this time and you haven’t been here for days. I’ve been too wounded to do anything since you were last here.” Min scowled, brown eyes reflecting rage and hate as they clashed with Tae’s indifferent blue ones. 

He took a moment to push the blade away and shoved Tae off him before withdrew further back on the bed, until he was resting against the wall, gripping at his torso side again, barely masking the new wince on his pretty lips. 

“So, why didn’t you tell me, Minnie?” Tae asked, almost sounding hurt.

Min stilled. He didn’t like that. That tone was foreign territory with Tae. He cut his gaze from his pain to Tae.

“Tell you what?” Min watched Tae guardedly; knowing nothing good ever came of Tae being quiet. 

But Tae had leaned forward; bracing a ring clad hand on the bed, pressing into the sheets as he levelled himself with Min. Min had reflexively curled back against the wall as Tae leaned into his space. 

Tae watched how Min’s long hair fell over his face again; it fanned over almost entire over his hollow cheeks. The blonde had then used his free hand to card Min’s hair off his face, tucking a few strands behind his ear. It took a moment for Min to turn his head towards Tae and Tae relished in staring at himself in those chocolate eyes. It never failed to perplex Tae how Min’s eyes would always have a brightness to them. He couldn’t understand why Min’s eyes were so bright no matter how he hurt Min. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about Kim Kai, Minnie?” 

Min froze, holding onto a breath as he stopped functioning for a full moment. 

“_Kai_?” Min whispered brokenly, his expression vacant and his voice distant. 

“Oh.” Tae mused, his interest piqued at such a reaction. The brown haired man shuddered but hadn’t breathed another word, letting the silence between them grow. 

“Minnie…” A warning in the drop of Tae’s tone as he growled into Min’s ear.

It seemed to do the trick of snapping Min out of his shock but Min’s hand came up to pull Tae’s wrist away gently before Min made a breathy sound. 

Tae’s eyes widened with his bewilderment, unable to make of that reaction. He pulled away as Min dissolved into full bodied shaking laughter. 

“Oh my god –“ Min sucked in a breath between the little tinkling sounds of laughter and tried to catch his breath. He shook his head as he finally manged to quell the bout of laughter. 

“You’re _so_ fucked, Tae.” Min looked up at him with shining eyes, a wicked gleam of confidence in his chocolate eyes. 

“Explain that slowly, Minnie.” Tae remained calm under Herculean effort – Min’s ease made his anger spike. 

“It explains your shitty evening… Kai has a knack for that.” Min had the nerve to look amused as he leaned back against the cool wall and curled his arm across his torso, his hand gingerly spread and pressing digits into the skin to ease his pain. 

“Don’t act like you know shit.” 

“Oh but I do. The last few weeks have been utter blissful boredom for you. Aside from brawling with me and my many escape attempts, nothing has challenged you – you’ve probably even perfected your balance between your lifestyle and mine in the Manor or else you wouldn’t be here tonight He’s finally back in the Manor and now you have something to challenge you, don’t you?” 

“I’m not some thrill chasing adrenaline crackhead.” The blonde seemed a little ruffled with how observant Min was even after maddening weeks of isolation. Tae huffed; flopping back onto the bed in the empty space next to Min. 

“No, you’re not. You’re much more complex than that, Tae. You like games where you either let it entertain you or you let it perish at your hand. You enjoy controlling the push and pull of things.” Min looked a little disgusted and Tae shot him a withering look. 

“But it is true. You can’t hurt me for calling you out on your shit. Particularly with me, you like the way I fight you because I don’t lose hope but you enjoy that you can always knock at my stubbornness with this newly conditioned fear you’ve carved into me. As much as I won’t admit defeat, I will tell you that playing games with Kai is going to be different. But you’ve already realised that, haven’t you? Isn’t that why you’re restless?” Min hummed softly, watching anger wrinkle Tae’s profile.

The blonde turned his head and faced Min with a scowl. Tae didn’t like being called out on his shit. He knew Min was smart but he didn’t like that Min could turn over the conversation between them because Min always asked hard questions; questions that made Tae doubt his own actions and decisions. 

_Just when the fuck did all the moralistic bullshit that I’ve been ignoring take on Min’s voice?_

“No. Kai’s different but…” Tae stopped, trying to word the irritable sensation clinging to him.

“But he’s already under your skin and you don’t like it?” Min grinned impishly. 

“Watch your fucking mouth.” The threat was more chastising than intimidating. 

“Be honest. Who am I going to tell?” Min snorted depreciatingly. 

“You don’t get to know that. Kai’s presence doesn’t mean shit.” 

“But it does. Kai has that talent. He does that to everyone. It’s almost hysterical that it actually works on you. You seemed undaunted in these last few weeks but right now… you look nervous, Tae.” 

Tae frowned, not liking the brightness in Min’s eyes. Those brown eyes were humoured and twinkling as if the last seven weeks of captivity didn’t take him to hell. 

“I’ll still kill him.” Tae stated seriously. Those very words triggering his fingers – his blade flicked out, the blade dancing between his fingers with absent mind intent as he stared at Min. 

“Hmm…” Min didn’t look convinced; in fact he was baiting Tae’s mood. 

“Are you fucking mocking me?” Tae didn’t like the sudden boost in Min’s morale. 

“I wouldn’t dare. I wouldn’t like to earn another one of these…” Min’s eyes dropped to where his fingers were splayed over. 

Tae briefly watched Min’s fingers, not daring to comment before his blue eyes fixed their gaze on Min’s gaunt face. 

“What makes you have so much faith in Kai?” 

“Simply put? He’s a monster.” Min breathed a light laugh.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” 

“You’re not stupid… so no, scaring you with words doesn’t work however you don’t underestimate people, so you’re going to listen to what I have to say anyway. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” Min replied flippantly.

Tae bit the inside of his cheek as he let there be a moment of silence between him and Min. He didn’t like the power Min had over him with information. There had to be a catch if it got Min to perk up after weeks of outward and blatant defiance…

_Time to change tactics…_

“What’s his relationship with you?” Tae blurted.

“Are you fishing for history, a one up on me or some sort of detail against him?” Min asked guarded and suspicious.

“Are you his fucking virtue protector that you won’t answer me?” Tae growled, his hand paused the playful flipping and turning over of the blade before he tightly gripped onto the hilt. 

Min snorted at the thought of Kai and virtue in the same sentence, “No, I want to know your angle.” 

“He’s vexing and I need something to fucking knock at his ego like sledgehammer for starters.” Tae contemplated with the frivolous thought of petty revenge against Kai.

“Yeah, sounds like Kai.” Min almost slipped up – he shouldn’t sound so fond of Kai in front of Tae. 

Tae seemed to catch that. His blue eyes narrowing a little but he made no comment.

“Still. Answer the question. What your relationship with him?” Tae turned his head away for the moment. 

“He grew up in the Manor with me but he worked for the Manor.” 

“When did you get good a dodging my questions, Minnie? You’re telling me shit while still being compliant,” Tae sighed, staring at the concrete ceiling.

“Are you unhappy with me giving you other answers instead of the one you want?” Min felt himself pushing his luck. 

“Be careful.” Tae warned darkly, “You still haven’t answered me.” Tae pointed his blade in Min’s direction vaguely.

“I know but I’m a little confused with your interest in Kai’s relationship with me.” 

“Is it that confusing? The Lee heir and the right hand had no relationship so to speak of?” Min made out the way Tae had raised an eyebrow as he watched the blonde’s profile. 

“Hmm… it isn’t as different as any other heir and right hand in the mafia aside from the fact that we were friends as children, I guess. We grew apart in our teens and we only deal with each other when we have business with my father.” Min lied through his teeth with ease. 

Tae remained mum, his gaze unfocused as he condensed that. 

“Lies.” Tae breathed the word softly. 

“What?” Min’s voice was no higher than a whisper as he froze, fearing his lie was made out. 

Tae turned his head to Min again and Min’s breath hitched; he didn’t like the look of knowing in Tae’s eyes. He knew Min was lying – not about what particularly but he knew Min was steering his attention elsewhere.

“That’s not the impression Kai gave me.” 

“I don’t get what you’re saying, Tae.” Min started to feel the skin at the back of his neck prickle with knowing fear. 

Tae turned onto his side, his head propped up by this palm cushioning it behind his ear as he lounged on his bed and his free hand snapping the butterfly knife into place. Min fought all instincts to press against the wall but he remained calm and lax. 

“I’m saying that you’re lying to hide something from me. You’re very determined to steer this conversation in a different direction. Kai seems to openly think more of this connection between the two of you rather than how you’d like to make it seem to me.” Tae hummed softly before he sat up, crawling over Min, trapping the Lee heir against the wall with no escape. 

“That’s two very funny things to correlate, Tae… Why would you say that?” Min still looked determined, even if he was backed into the wall.

“You should tell me, Minnie. Why does Kai believe that you’re my undoing? Why does he seem to know you so… intimately?” He traced the tip of the blade over Min’s exposed right collarbone. 

“He doesn’t.” Min gasped at the contact of the sharpened edge to his skin, feeling his fear locking him in place, “How did you even come to such a conclusion?” 

“It could be a number of things…” Tae stared Min down until Min felt the submissive fear surface in him, he was powerless against Tae. Powerless against those blue eyes darkening with violent intent. 

“Don’t do this, Tae.” Min urged quietly.

“You see, when I brought you here that night, you had a hickey right here…” Tae mused softly, marking the spot on Min’s skin with a light scrape of his blade, watching the skin welt a thin pink cross over his collarbone that was beading with speckling blood. Min felt his eyes sting with the pain on such a sensitive spot. 

“Tae… don’t…” Min pleaded softly, grasping at Tae’s wrist to halt the blade. 

“So was it Kai?” 

“No…” Min’s head slumped to the side, a curtain of brown hair between them again, as he denied weakly. 

Tae’s other hand fisted at the hair and craned Min’s head back to make eye contact, “Don’t lie.” 

“Does it matter if I lie or not?” Min asked in a flat tone.

“It does. Do you not value your life or Alice’s?”

Tae grunted as his back hit the bed and Min stretched the short lead of chain between his hands over Tae’s neck.

“Fuck you, Tae! You always dangle Alice’s safety in front of me when you’re trying to extort from me. But I don’t give a fuck right now. You’re nothing but someone who keeps replaying tactics in a routine to maintain your norm. That threat has lost its power over me. You’re harmless because you have so much at stake, right? So go right ahead. Try and learn for yourself if you’re so curious about Kai. You’re cocky enough to handle it, aren’t you? Blow your cover and tell Kai that you have me. I implore you to do it if you really think Kim Kai is really beneath your level.” Min snarled, trying to press down harder to strangle Tae. 

Tae’s upward knife slash was faster than Min’s reaction, making the brown haired male cry out and wrench away from Tae. The blonde rubbed at his neck as he coughed – Min’s grip wasn’t tight enough but it was uncomfortable as hell.

Min huffed, daring to fix his gaze with Tae’s, even as his fingers gingerly brushed against the weeping gashing in his cheek. It was a nasty nick across his cheek that had thin lines of red skating down to his chin but it wasn’t anything Min couldn’t handle. 

Tae had put him through worse.

Tae had thrown Min back against the wall as he countered against Min’s weakened grip around his neck. The brown haired male curled up on his spot on the bed after his back hit the concrete wall. Tae couldn’t see his face but the strained tendon in his neck and the tightened jaw were dead giveaways of Min gritting his teeth – whether in pain or anger, Tae couldn’t discern or bring himself to care about. 

“You’re brave to threaten me like this, Minnie…” Tae grinned coldly, goading and taunting Min for a reaction, “Kai tried to threaten me as well. As vexing as this is, the both of you are intriguing. You both protect each other so fiercely and I’ve barely done anything directly as yet. The power of suggestion alone has the both of you triggered. If anything, this game got a whole lot more interesting.” Tae mused, waiting on the other’s expression.

But Min was nothing but a curtain of thick brown hair as he looked upward in Tae’s direction. He breathed slow and low. Tae couldn’t see his eyes, nothing but his sharp jaw and chin made out from the limp locks falling over Min’s face and brushing over chapped and parched lips.

“What did you really want out of coming here tonight, Tae?” Min asked softly but Min’s sudden change of stance didn’t scream fear or weakness.

Tae contemplated Min’s words. 

He wanted to be a sponge of sorts to mop up any kind of information that could be a weak spot against Kai but Tae found out the more he tried to learn from Min about Kai, the angrier he became. He didn’t like the unwavering faith the both of them had in each other. If not lovers, what the hell could make them so loyal to each other? 

Tae dreaded banking on the whole _‘I’m-going-to-kill-your-lover-for-the-sake-of-my-victory-in-this-game_’ cliché. Kai and Tae established that they were nothing short of a war because neither man left room for give in their stance. 

Sure, he’d eventually use Min against Kai when the time was right but that was for a later point when he had already crushed Kai. Min’s part in Tae’s grander scheme against Kai was merely the salt for the wound he wants to carve into Kai. Kai deserved it because he’s proving to be nothing but a stubborn wall. He won’t give anyone an inch toward the Old Man’s seat nor would he take it for himself. 

People who are inert like that have no place in Tae’s plan.

“I need to know Kai’s intent.” Tae answered decidedly, hoping not to give away too much to Min’s observant behaviour. 

“I wouldn’t know that.” Min shifted, his face completely hidden by his hair. 

“Of course, you wouldn’t. I don’t expect that out of you but I need to understand him. He’s nothing like what I’ve encountered in the Mafia before. He doesn’t seem power hungry. In fact, I feel like he’s standing in my way because he can. He doesn’t have the desire I have and your shitty old man wields Kai like a fucking weapon.” Tae scoffed.

“No one has ever understood Kim Kai…” Min laughed mirthlessly. 

“I think you’re lying, Minnie. He’s so fixated on you that it seems like he’s your little pet. Is that right, Minnie? Did you make the beast your little pup to unleash on whoever pissed you off?” Tae hovered over Min’s slumped form against the wall. 

“You’re going to learn the hard way…” Min challenged with his soft words, “I meant it when I said Kai is a monster, because monsters will do as they please so I hope you understand what that means to you.” Min spat as he glared up at Tae. 

The blonde grit his teeth at the sharpness in Min’s brown gaze – for once those eyes weren’t hardened with hate, no, that was something beyond conviction. It was telling of Min’s belief in Kai. 

“Is that faith or desperation?” Tae hated that he felt like he had lost more than he gained in his conversation with Min.

“What did the feeling of Kai getting under your skin tell you about him? Is it his faith or desperation?” Min threw Tae’s words right back at him.

Tae growled and grabbed at Min’s hoodie and hauled him up, getting into Min’s space as he crowded him, and breathing down Min neck to intimidate him. 

“Be whatever the fuck it is,” Tae hissed low and harsh at Min, “it is useless. It’s not going to stop me.” Tae fumed, “because this is my game to win. This is the new age of the Mafia and it’s mine to rule over because it started with you, Minnie. You’re the first, bound by my whims and my rules and soon everyone will learn to follow suit. Taking Lee Household isn’t just a means to an end for me. Getting to the top is one thing. Staying there is where the fun starts.” He breathed a chilling laugh.

Normally, Min would have been a shuddering mess, his anxiety barely under his control and anticipating the worst from Tae but then Min looked him dead in the eye and spoke. 

“Kai is right.”

Tae narrowed his gaze on Min but the Lee heir doesn’t flinch.

“I should be your very undoing just like Kai thinks so. I want to be the one and only thing you regret the most. I want to be the one dark spot from your life that you can’t erase. I hope I haunt you, Tae. And I know I don’t have to be dead to achieve that.” 

“Shut up, Min.” Tae growled. 

“No! You can't silence me. Not when you have a lifetime of debt to pay up for keeping me trapped in this shithole. When I do get out of this fucking den, I hope you’re prepared for defeat, Tae. The fact that you’ve told me about Kai coming back to the Lee Manor has renewed my need to escape.”

Tae’s hand wrapped around Min’s throat but Min tipped his head back slightly to alleviate the pressure and he breathed a broken laugh, “I hope you can handle playing a lost game. It must be difficult being the bad guy but don’t worry, we’ll make sure to make your life hell from here on out…” Min grinned and in that moment, Tae’s grip loosened as ice shoots down his spine because he knows that grin. 

He gritted his teeth recognising the phantom of Kim Kai’s rancorous smile in Lee Min. 


	8. 7.	M A R K E D   C O N F I D A N T E

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Do I even need to say anything aside from look at the chapter title again!

7 M A R K E D C O N F I D A N T E

The next day at the Mirage, late afternoon: 

Alice White screamed at Trent Summers dragged her body across the Mirage’s dancefloor towards the bar where Tae sat upon; he would have looked amused had it not been for his anger, his features twisted into a foul expression. 

“Let me go, Trent, you fucking kiss up! I haven’t done anything wrong today!” She spat the words. 

Tae raised an eyebrow, not really listening to Alice’s voice but understanding that she was being rebellious. It irked him and he felt the itch to rectify that but he decided against it… _for the time being._

“That’s not what the boss said. Isn’t that right, Jiya?” Trent snickered, halting a few steps from the bar, eyeing the tanned beauty as she sat to the right of Tae. She was seated on the bar stool beside Tae but he had the heel of his boot jammed in the footrest to keep her facing him and unable to swivel. 

She clicked her tongue, annoyance coating her tongue as she bit at the inside of her cheek to snap a ferocious retort. She wasn’t really in the position to mouth of. 

Not when she was in trouble with Tae. 

Instead she tried to get Tae’s attention but he had been giving her a type of cold shoulder, making their entire interaction one-side. He had been miffed with Jiya since his discovery from the night before about Jiya actually covering for Alice. He was a little thankful for Siobhan – he didn’t expect that Jiya would actually act out against him.

“Let her go, Tae. You don’t need to be doing this. She was cleaning the store room when Trent grabbed her. She hasn’t done anything wrong.” Jiya urged Tae cut his gaze to her and Jiya was stunned into silence – never had she experienced such a cold look from Tae. But then he flippantly turned his attention elsewhere to not acknowledge Jiya, despite listening to her pleas.

Unfortunately that meant Alice had Tae’s complete undivided attention. He glared her down as she was thrown to the floor with Trent standing right behind her, least she tried to bolt once more. 

“You’re still lying… She’s still fucking trying to escape… in front of you, Jiya…” Tae muttered under his breath.

“Pick her up, Trent.” Tae ordered with the wave of his hand. 

Trent had grabbed Alice by the back of her jacket, ignoring her cry of frustration.

Alice slipped off the jacket she had been wearing, successfully escaping Trent’s grip. 

Tae sighed, “Are you playing again, Trent?” 

“No, sir.” Trent cleared his throat as he reached out and grabbed at Alice’s hair to rein her back in her spot. She screeched against the pain that erupted over her scalp but gave up on resistance because she knew Trent was going to use her hair like a lead. She still behaved like a stubborn mule, only moving for the sake of moving so she doesn’t get hurt. 

“Now, Jiya… I know you’re too nice to tell me about these things but Alice hasn’t been behaving as of late and for some strange reason you’re covering for her. Do you have some sort of deal with her, babe?” His sharp gaze cut from Alice to Jiya for a moment as he waited for her to respond.

“No. It’s just that I understand the reason behind her rebellious behaviour and I know it’s wrong on her – what she’s doing and why she’s doing it. I’ve been trying to explain that to her.” Jiya sounded stern but her words didn’t match the pleading look on her face as she tried to make eye contact with Tae. 

Tae laughed softly, reaching out absent minded to stroke at her cheek endearingly before he looked away and he doesn’t catch the way Jiya’s nose wrinkled – the action offended her because the affection felt so insincere with how he was dishing it out and expecting her to eat it up even if he wasn’t even looking at her, “I’m surprised you still try to reason with her. I distinctly remember you telling me that you wouldn’t babysit her.” Tae grinned.

“That was before I knew of what you do to her when she disobeyed. I’m trying to make sure she stays out of trouble.” Jiya bit the inside of her cheek. 

“You know, if I didn’t play favourites, I’d actually label you an accomplice to her and maybe you’d end up with the same punishment as her.” Tae’s cold eyes shifted from where Trent had sat Alice down, on the floor at Tae’s other boot that was dangling just above the floor as he sat on the bar, and settled on Jiya.

“Tae…” Jiya stiffened in her seat. He had taken in the image of her wild curly hair and the soft beige cropped fluffy sweater she had been wearing.

“I mean, you are keeping secrets from me.” Tae raised an eyebrow at her. 

“It’s harmless. Besides, I’m your best friend, so you would let me off with a slap on the wrist.” Jiya canted her head to the side, charming her way into persuading Tae. 

“Nuh uh, sweetie. Best friend of the boss or not, you need to follow rules. You get away with far more than you should already. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you not working shifts in the Mirage lately.” Siobhan called out as she entered the floor of the Mirage from her office in the lobby. 

She smirked at Tae when he raked his gaze over her figure. She had stepped up her dressing game as of late as Tae’s personal toy. Jiya wanted to wrinkle her nose again, Siobhan’s dresses seemed to have grown tinier with each passing week. It was no different as she stood in a dress that was obviously going to be wearing for the night, the tiny scrap of gold material clung like a second skin with cut outs along the sides.

“Hmm… I want to agree,” Tae bit down on his lower lip for a moment, “But I’m still going to play favourites. Jiya is special to me even if she does need to learn that spoiling Alice has made her comfortable,” He turned his head towards Jiya, “Your comfort has become her shield but she’s unappreciative and careless and doesn’t understand how dire her circumstances are when you aren’t allowed to help or defend her.” Tae hummed, low words firm and clear across the entire floor. 

“Tae, what are you planning to do?” Jiya asked softly, a little nervous of what Tae had planned for Alice. 

“I don’t care, Tae. She did that to herself because I remember very clearly that I didn’t ask for her help. She can deal with her own actions now.” Alice flipped her hair and glared up at Tae. 

Tae placed a hand on top of her head and Alice halted dead, all bravado dying under a single touch. 

“I know, sweetheart, but despite everyone and their own decisions, they still have to answer to me. It is a pity, isn’t it?” Tae murmured, looking down on Alice as his gaze bore into her. 

“You’re a bully, Tae, and everyone here is trying to stay on your good side so they don’t end up like me.” Alice huffed. 

“Hmm… Someone else I know is convinced I’m a bully.” Tae winked at her, knowing that she would react completely even when he was merely implying Min.

“They’re right.” Alice bared her teeth at him with her firm retort.

Tae’s anger spiked.

“_Tch_! Clear the room.” Tae barked the order.

Trent was gone with Siobhan within seconds and Jiya made a motion to get off the stool but Tae lifted a hand and set it down on her shoulder to make her stay.

“Jiya, you are to stay and watch. This is part of your punishment.” 

“Tae. This is obviously a private affair.” 

“_Sit, babe_.” Tae insisted, no give in his voice, “It may be easier for you this way. You’ve been asking for answers lately, haven’t you?” He made eye contact with her and Tae looked victorious, knowing he got Jiya’s attention.

Jiya hesitated for a moment before she settled back into the bar stool, trying her best to ignore Alice.

“Hand, Alice.” Tae held out his upturned palm. 

“No…” She whimpered.

“_Alice_.” His voice cut like a whip. 

Alice extended left arm and Tae pushed the sleeve from her wrist to her elbow to expose the scarred inner forearm. There were nine thin lines running the width of her arm and the freshest of the lot had barely scabbed over. Jiya bit her lip and looked away, knowing of those cuts on her arm. They were thin but deep – she would know because she had started to wrap them up since cut number four. They took long in stemming the bleeding but they scabbed quickly. 

“Nine counts for nine apprehended attempts…” Tae counted softly. Alice tried to withdraw from his grasp but he tightened his grip in time to catch her at the wrist and pulled her so she toppled from her spot on the floor. 

“I owe you a new one, don’t I, Alice?” Tae chuckled. 

“Do it. It won’t stop me from trying to escape again.” Alice scoffed, trying to feign nonchalance but the shakiness of her pupils was a dead give-away. 

Tae smirked, “Is that so?” He pulled out his knife, spinning in it his right hand. 

“Tae… wait!” Jiya urged, grasping onto his right forearm. 

He clicked his tongue. 

“Jiya, I’m trying to discipline Alice here and I can’t have you spoiling her again. She’ll never learn.” 

“I don’t care.” Alice spat. 

“That’s right. You don’t care because you’re so used to the fact that you’ll get away with it; because you don’t care how much harm comes to you; and because you will always take Jiya for granted.” Tae’s words sharpened with his anger and he shoved her until she fell across the floor with a yelp.

He glared at the tumble of wild hair in clothes he very clearly recalls that belonged to Jiya the floor of the Mirage. 

“We need to teach you fear again, Alice. I used to have a threat above you but it doesn’t feel tangible anymore, doesn’t it? That person is too far away from you to make you feel anything because you can’t tell if it’s true or not?” Tae looked downright vicious as he mentioned Min to Alice. 

She sat up and wanted to retort but he grabbed Jiya’s forearm, jerking her position to lean into his space, and placed the blade at her neck. 

Jiya’s breath hitched and she chanced a glance at Alice before she looked at Tae for an explanation.

“How can I make sure that she behaves, Jiya?” He mused aloud, “I mean, matching you with every cut that Alice gets wouldn’t work. It would only drive you to want to escape from me. And that’s the last thing I want. I can’t stand the idea of hurting my best friend, let alone letting her run away from me.” Tae flashed a very dangerous and tight smile at Jiya. 

“Knife play doesn’t sound that exciting for us, does it, Jiya?” He asked with a pout, canting his head to the side – inclining to lean into Jiya’s spaceas he pinned her with his cold blue gaze. She stiffened up as she felt like she was the only thing in his focus in that moment. His gaze was intrusive and searching but what was Tae looking for in Jiya? 

“Tae…” Jiya rasped, trying to talk around the phantom cotton wool in her mouth. She had never felt such fear with her best friend.

But then Tae’s eyes light up, the blue of his eyes practically glowing, as a smile split across his face.

“Oh? You seem to think the same, babe?” He asked, a terrifying moment of fascination passed over Tae’s features as the blade pressed against her skin. 

“Tae, there has got to be another way.” 

“Hmm… you’re right, Jiya!” He seemed to agree with something that Jiya hadn’t even voiced aloud, he snapped the butterfly blade shut, “This sort of angle won’t work on her. I could threaten her and harm the both of you but it will be in vain.” 

Tae shook his head. 

“Come, Jiya, I think this is enough for now…” He withdrew and straightened up in his sitting position, a smooth hop off the bar and extended his hand to Jiya.

She spared Alice a glance, taking in Alice’s glare before looked away, in favour of taking Tae’s hand to hop off the stool but Tae had jerked his hold on her towards him, making Jiya stumble closer to him. 

She yelped, scrambling to grasp onto his shirt sleeves, but the smooth black silk slipped right out of her hands. Tae had steadied her with a throaty sound of amusement, feeling her huff irritably against his chest with her forehead pressed to his collarbone, before he turned her around. She stiffened, ramrod straight and unyielding as his chest pressed against her back and his arms wrapped around her bare middle to press the folded knife into Jiya’s right hand. 

“Tae! What is the meaning of this?” She exclaimed, feeling the heavy and cold weight of the blade in her hand. 

“Shh…” He cooed the hushing sound into Jiya’s ear as his long fingers closed Jiya’s slender ones over his butterfly knife, “I’m trying something new. I don’t know how this will work just yet.” 

“I can tell you right now, it’s not. The only thing you’re succeeding in is pissing me off,” Jiya clucked her tongue at him, trying not to shiver against the light flex of his arm constricting around her middle, the hold tightening ever so slightly to warn her. 

“Ah… Is that so?” He hummed a low sound into her ear, his lips ghosting warm breath over her skin to make her shiver on purpose. 

“I swear to God, Tae…” She snapped but his hands tightened almost painfully around her waist. 

“No need to involve God, babe, I know you’re just as miffed with me as I am with you. We can resolve this easily in another way – you still get to scream all you like…if you just let me…” Tae taunted. 

It would have made Jiya laugh on any other day but in that moment, it scared her. 

He wasn’t harassing her but he was intimidating and mocking her with the barbed habits of their friendship and those habits only came with trust. However, Jiya knew, deep down, the entire situation as it was unfolding wasn’t about trust. As much as it disgusted her, she understood that it was nothing but a shamefully display of toying with her as he tested her loyalties. 

It stung much more than she expected, she assumed she had the exception to Tae’s wrath – she took it for granted when she knowingly covered for Alice. 

“She won’t do it.” Alice sniffed, lifting her nose into the air. 

“I know she won’t; that’s why I’m here to urge her on and guide her handiwork on you.” Tae grinned, his free hand coming up to lift Jiya’s head up to look at Alice. The tanned beauty couldn’t look at Alice, rather she was looking right past Alice, even with her gaze on the girl on the floor. 

Alice made out how unfocused her eyes were; wide eyes and shaking dilated pupils that made her seem very far away from the body in Tae’s arms – she knew that was a look of realisation and the sinking in of fear in Jiya’s expression. 

Tae seemed to gauge the same thing, judging by how spacey Jiya appeared. 

He sighed softly.

“Unless you use today as a lesson and learn quickly, Alice, I will make Jiya do it next time. But this time the both of you get a cut each.” He reprimanded with a stern and dark look, promising hell for the next time. “So who will go first?”

“Me.” Jiya shut her eyes for a moment before she chanced opening them again, hoping to make it quick as she snapped back into focus. 

“Hmmm… what’s this, Jiya?” His voice was so heavy and cold in her ear, she couldn’t stop trembling, “You’re always so tough and quick to fight back. Why are you giving in now?” Tae’s larger hands cupped her shaking ones as his soft words chilled her, his fingers dancing along the thick weight of the knife in her grasp. 

“Just get it over with… I don’t need you humiliating me further by prolonging this…” She watched as Tae’s deft fingers flicked the knife into place before her. She stuck her arm out, pressing the sharpened edge to her forearm.

“No, babe. I don’t want your arm. You owe me something more personal.” Tae hummed, turning the knife over in his grasp to run the dull edge up her long sleeve. 

“Where would you even…” Jiya bit her lip, trembling a little while she tilted her head back to look at him. She never liked seeing Tae at work and to finally be in trouble with him made her see her best friend in a different light. 

He turned Jiya around completely until they were brushing chest to chest.

“I’m spoilt for choice. I don’t know if I want to make it pointed or make it feel like a dirty intimate secret between us.” He chuckled at her gasp when he pressed the cool metal to her clavicle. He looked power drunk – his blue eyes were murky and hooded over as he took in the sight of Jiya’s trembling lip and widened eyes. 

“It’s just going to sting, right? It’s like a scratch… like all those other times when you trained me…” She murmured to herself, trying to convince herself despite knowing how deep Tae would cut her. 

“Absolutely.” He canted his head, leaning in until his breath was puffing over Jiya’s lips but he snuck a glance over Jiya’s curls to see Alice watching in horror. 

He was amused that she hadn’t tried to run away from punishment once more – not that she’d get anywhere far, not with Trent and Siobhan in the lobby. 

“However much it may hurt, I can tell you it will hurt less than what will be in store for Alice. I have exciting news for her once I’m done with you, babe.” Tae grinned maliciously before turning his attention back to Jiya.

“Be a brave girl for me…” Tae’s grin waned, something akin to a grimace when Jiya shut her eyes once more as he pressed the sharp blade to her neck. 

“No…” She whimpered under her breath, her hand flying up instinctively to stop him.

“Jiya.” He snapped and her eyes opened, glassy and fearful. 

“Got you…” Tae’s voice teased her as a sly smile split across his features; his free hand grabbed at the wrist that was stopping his knife arm and brushed his lips to thin skin of her inner wrist. He felt her pulse hammering at that point.

“Did I scare you that badly?” He pushed her sleeve up to her elbow, folding it over to keep the sleeve at the elbow. 

“You’re going to regret playing these games with me,” Jiya warned him.

“Hmm… Maybe. Take a deep breath for me, Jiya.” 

That was all the warning her gave her as he swiped the blade over her forearm neat and fast. She hissed and tried to recoil from him but Tae’s grasp tightened on her wrist, keeping her bound to her spot. She breathed deep and fast blinking away the tears from her eyes as the red ran hot and fast over her skin, chasing from mid forearm to her elbow. 

She ripped her wrist from his grasp and glared at him before her focus was on the blood on her skin.

“Jiya.” He called out but she swore under her breath and straightened up, her left hand pressing down near the cut on her right arm, “Wait in my office.”

Jiya scoffed but nodded.

“Thanks for making that quick… This will definitely be the last of this.” She stepped away from Tae and walked over to Alice. 

“You’re either masochistic or just stupid to endure this…” She snapped and made her way towards Tae’s office. 

Alice spent a moment staring even after Jiya was gone, a little horrified at the superimposed image of Jiya’s tears, understanding the fear behind it. That was no gimmick to scare Alice – he was terrorising his own inner circle.

“Alice. Get up and come over here. If you listen, it will be as quick as Jiya’s.” Tae called out as he hopped back onto the bar, reaching behind for a nearly filled bottle of vodka and the cleaning rag to clean off the smear of Jiya’s blood on his blade. 

“You really are a bully. You’re a terror in her eyes now.” Alice scoffed. 

“Surprised or disappointed?” Tae asked with a mean grin, spinning the cap off the vodka before knocking back a swig. 

“Neither. I’m just watching what a monster you’re turning into.” 

Tae barked laughter as he pulled the bottle away from his lips. 

“Really?” He asked almost excitedly, “That’s good to hear because I have my own monsters to fight.” He took another sip. 

“Someone is ballsy enough to actually pick a fight with you?” She raised both her eyebrows at him. 

“Come now, I’m not that bad. You fight me. Minnie does too.” He doused the rag in vodka and wiped at the blade.

“Min?” Alice looked a little lost; Tae doesn’t ever bring him up unless it’s to persuade her as an intimidation tactic. 

“Hmm…” Tae nodded, swirling the vodka within the bottle before sipping long, draining the glass before pulling away with a throat rasp, relishing the burn, “Oh… you should be aware that Minnie tries to escape just like you and I do the same to him as I do to you. He has probably twice as many compared to you…” Tae baited her with a lie, watching through his lashes, even with his head tilted back, mid-sip and feigning ignorance to her reactions. 

Alice sat rooted to the spot, shivering with realisation as it sunk into her. 

Min was actually getting hurt. He was risking his life and placing danger upon himself because he was desperate to get out. Maybe more so than her. 

Maybe Tae was right… Maybe I am spoilt… I’m failing Min by not fighting back… I thought complying would have bought Min’s safety but it’s all for naught now… 

“Is this supposed to scare me? You’re hurting him either way, whether I obey you or not…” Alice hissed. 

“You don’t know if I’m adding more injury to him for every time you try to escape.” Tae huffed, looking annoyed, “You do remember that you are his only hope, right? You do remember that he’s counting on you to not get hurt… to eventually leave that little den of mine.” Tae was spinning his knife in his free hand was he drank from the bottle. 

“You’re lying, Tae. You’re not even playing by your own rules anymore because you’re enjoying this. You like tormenting our loyalty to each other.” 

“It really isn’t that deep,” Tae snorted, “Move or I come to you and carve more than just another line in your arm.” He snapped at her. 

Alice moved closer to the bar but Tae grabbed her arm and pushed her to the floor until her arm was between his legs and he lowered his knife to the next unblemished patch of her arm. 

“If it isn’t that deep then why such an iron fist over us… Let us go… you’ll never hear from either one of us again.” 

“Well, in case you’re unaware… in Min’s case with me, one cannot exist with the other around so one does have to disappear.” 

“So you torture Min for your own ambition…” 

Tae sighed.

“See, this is where everyone gets it wrong. Min was inert in his position and power. I’m utilising him for the better but he’s a stubborn brat that won’t let me enjoy it so I hide him from my own fun.” Tae explained seemingly exasperated. 

“You’re sick to explain it like that.” 

Tae’s knife slashed through at Alice’s arm and she screamed, immediately recoiling from the blade. Her eyes stung as the hot tears skated down her cheeks unchecked. 

“Maybe… but it’s the most logical way to explain it. If anything, I’m not a monster; I’m simply an opportunist, a rather desperate one at that.” Tae shrugged.

“Fuck…” She hissed, pressing down just above the new cut to stop the bleeding. It was so close to the inside of her elbow already. What if Tae was telling the truth, was Min covered in cut like the ones she had too? Did he surpass more than ten slashes?

“Get cleaned up. I hope this is the last of its kind because my patience is at an end with you, Alice. I endure Min for reasons but you should learn that when someone is taken by the Mafia, they learn to serve quickly, grateful for being spared from dying.” He spat as he cleaned the blade once more, nudging her away from her with his foot as he stood up. 

She yelped and scooted back, landing on her bloodied arm; her weight faltered under her grasp as it slipped against the blood that gushed down her arm. It was deeper than Jiya’s cut but then again Tae had only promised to make it quick.

“This isn’t living. This isn’t what escaping death means.” She tested, sitting up properly, clutching at her arm. 

Tae grasped the bottle again, sipping generously before he pulled it way from his lips, swirling the half full bottle and staring at it in contemplation. 

“No, it’s not. It’s called surviving. Conform to me and adapt or let this entire system that I create eat you up in the future that it to come, sweetheart. I swear it will be fun to watch if I can make something out of you or if I finally kill you as a failure of my first…” Tae walked over and canted his head as if envisioning change in Alice but he had raised the bottle and emptied it by upturning it over her. 

Alice cried out as the alcohol ran over her wound, the entire slash in her skin throbbing with pain. 

“I won’t conform. I won’t be eaten up. You won’t kill me.” Alice hissed as she stood up, dripping vodka from where it didn’t soak into her skin, hair and clothes, and met Tae’s gaze, determined and angry. 

“Come now, are you really that angry? It’s not going to get infected because of this…” His mouth curled a little before he turned away. 

“Remember, sweetheart, clean up and be ready to work tonight. You owe me more shifts, at the very least, to compensate wasting everyone’s time and effort with your futile escape attempts.” He dismissed Alice as he walked towards his office. 


	9. 8.		G U Z A A R I S H

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> G U Z A A R I S H  
~ Hindi – An earnest request

8\. G U Z A A R I S H 

Jiya sat in Tae’s office chair, gritting her teeth with gauze thrown over her cut and her hand pressing down directly to stem the bleeding.

Just moments prior, she burst into Tae’s new office, blinking away the tears fast enough for them to not fall as she scattered the first aid kit over his desk, already berating herself about how it was stupid to cover for Alice for so long, especially knowing that Tae was behaving weirdly lately. She knew it and she still took the risk when she discovered the reality behind Alice’s punishments.

Jiya scolded herself thinking herself spared from how unhinged Tae was. 

Clearly he wasn’t thinking straight and there wasn’t any way of snapping him back into his senses anytime soon. 

_You did this to yourself, Jiya. _

_You knew it the moment things changed with Tae. _

_That morning…_

Jiya recalled the morning that Tae had taken over Ji Household. 

It was early morning, the close of business for the Mirage, when the last of the patrons were asked to leave, when Tae walked down from the Gallery, looking like a demented version of the man she thought she knew.

She had later discovered that he spent half the night holed up in her room, nursing nasty by product cuts on his hands before he came down to make his announcement as he had gathered everyone on the dancefloor and asked for the music to be cut. 

Jiya thought he was crazy but that was just the start of the madness as Tae sauntered over to the bar and had climbed onto a bar stool before he hopped onto the bar itself.

> _ “Listen up, shitheads!” He barked out. _
> 
> _Tae let that hang in the air as he paced down the bar, until he stopped to bend. He straightened up as he lifted vodka bottle from little cluster of bottles set on the bar. It was practically empty – maybe two hefty swigs at the most in Tae’s standard of drinking._
> 
> _Under normal circumstances, people were either easily riled up or would maturely brush off Tae’s foul mouthing but judging by the blood splatters across his shirt at the chest, no one dared to argue with him that morning. It had stained across his shoulder, leaving a small smattering on his shirt collar and the skin of his neck. _
> 
> _There was something cruel about the way the early morning sun, that was shafting in from the gallery windows above, landed on him, making his blonde hair halo angelically and his blue eyes like clear like sapphires. But no matter how the light depicted him, it didn’t match the blood stains on his clothes and the pinking bandages on his hands. _
> 
> _The Mirage was stifling with its silence and no amount of post shift exhaustion could explain the atmosphere. Jiya stood near the exit of the Mirage’s operating floor that lead to the hallway to Ji Kwang Ho’s office – she was going to report back on the old man that she had taken care of playing informant for another Ji Household business partner._
> 
> _After gazing at the entire crowd of bouncers, Ji Household members in the booths on the edges of the club, the girls of the clubs and the few terrified businessmen who has scurried in, standing at the Mirage doors, Tae knocked back the entire bottle and broke away with a loud laugh, shattering the silence._
> 
> _“Juuuuuuust kidding… Nice to see that everyone has a sense of humour at this point in the morning…” He didn’t stop the sneer on his face. _
> 
> _“What the hell is the meaning of this, Tae?” A voice called out from the small crowd of faces gathered, but Tae couldn’t exactly pinpoint faces with the sun in his eyes._
> 
> _“Shut the fuck up, Trent. I can’t see you but I know you’re ruining my moment with you voice.” Tae snapped. _
> 
> _“Tae, just explain. Everyone is tired from their shift, it’s been a long night because of Seo Household and we’re not exactly getting paid to stand here.” Eve-ie was brave enough to approach the bar, a hand splaying over his calf before she stroked down to his exposed ankle._
> 
> _“**Let. Go**.” Tae hissed, shooting her a glare and Eve-ie was smart enough to move to the end of the bar. _
> 
> _Jiya suppressed the urge to snort; Eve-ie at least had half the brain to move but she wasn’t smart enough to gauge Tae’s splash zone for his volatile behaviour – anyone else would know they would have had to move much further back than just two strides backward. _
> 
> _“Actually… you will, Evelina. I’ve decided that you guys will get paid because I know how underpaid you are for your shitty hours.”_
> 
> _“So you’ve moved into finance… Congrats, Tae.” Siobhan dared to joke with him, a smug look on her face, challenging his temper. _
> 
> _“A charmer and a joker… You’re turning into a threat.” He deadpans; clearly he was in no mood for jokes. _
> 
> ** _Time to do damage control. _ **
> 
> _“Explain why you get to decide, Tae.” Jiya called out loudly. _
> 
> _“Finally someone I can count on to pay attention…” Tae huffed, “Well, no one exactly knows of it just yet but in a few hours, the news of Ji Kwang Ho’s death will come out.”_
> 
> _An eruption of mutters and whispers covered the small crowd. _
> 
> _“What do you mean Ji Kwang Ho is dead?” A voice called out._
> 
> _“What the fuck else do you think that could mean? Why the fuck do you think Seo Household was crawling in this place all night. They were here to hand over the shitty old man to the Emperor’s Sons. He didn’t want to be done in by the Emperor’s Sons. I did the old man a favour.” Tae summarised in very few words but he got his message across easily. _
> 
> _“Fuck, Tae, you didn’t…” Trent sounded aghast._
> 
> _“We are a mafia household, aren’t we?” Tae asked the question in a whip like tone, commanding silence across the room._
> 
> _“Yeah, but we were just a base for drug distribution – just a spot for the runners and dealers to operate business.” Eve-ie tried to argue._
> 
> _Tae snarled, cutting Eve-ie off – the blonde beauty startled into silence._
> 
> _“I don’t know if you’re comfortable, oblivious or just plain stupid by pretending but maybe you lot ought to remember that fact that the shitty old man was a member in the mafia inner circle and you are and have always been a shitload closer to this business than just pumping cash into this establishment.” Tae’s words cut harshly, making realisation sink in a lot heavier than people tried to acknowledge._
> 
> _“That’s not fair, Tae. Not everyone worked jobs like you –“ _
> 
> _“It’s because I am here that you didn’t need to work those jobs but if you’re willing, I’ll gladly assign you. Accept me as your new boss and I’ll willing put you out there, no questions asked.” Tae shrugged. _
> 
> _He gauged the harsh whispers again. _
> 
> _“Look,” He sighed and plopped down on the bar, his long legs dangling off the edge, “I’m not going to be a tyrant but I expect people to be accountable for the shit they sign up for. Things will definitely not be as they are right now after I take over. So you have two options regarding my business and my household; you either walk away right now, don’t die but go home, paid with bonuses and shit or you stay, follow me and make a fuck ton more money than the shitty excuse of a bonus I’m dishing out later today.” He laid out the options for the members of Ji Household as he rummaged the bar for something a lot harder than lone untouched bottle of mango infused tequila. _
> 
> _Jiya knew he’d find nothing to his liking because she had put the rums and whiskeys back into the fridges which were clearly out of his reach in that moment. He found the dry vermouth on the side and shrugged, not as hard but maybe it will hit harder if he mixes different alcohol contents._
> 
> _He bit the cork off and spat it out, “Mind you, as great as this as a time to have a safe exit from the mafia… if you do leave, you’ll be left alone regardless of whether you want a peaceful life or a different household… but if you join another household only to breathe word of me killing the old Ji Master to get out of escaping the Emperor’s Sons, I’ll personally hunt you.” _
> 
> _He snorted at the eerie silence that followed after his statement._
> 
> _“What of Seo Household? Doesn’t their deal with the Emperor’s Sons fall onto you now?” Jiya asked._
> 
> _“Seo Household’s silence has been bought by giving them the credit of the old man’s death. They become a partner of the Emperor’s Sons instead of a target instead of telling them that Ji Household has a new Master. Not that I needed their shitty truce… the Emperor’s Sons will come to claim this household once more but it’s too fucking convenient to ignore. We need it so if anyone thinks of trying anything heavy… I hope you don’t get caught by me.” _
> 
> _“You’re bullshitting your threat far too much for your own credit, Tae.” Trent tried to ease the tense atmosphere. _
> 
> _“Who the fuck are you trying to protect, Trent? I know everyone in this room and even if I don’t, I know someone that knows them. I will not let anyone fuck this up for me – not when we have the opportunity of a lifetime to get rich beyond our wildest expectation. I will end anyone who stands in my way.” Tae reiterated as he sipped heavily. _
> 
> _ “When did all of this happen?” Siobhan asked. _
> 
> _“Give or take a few hours ago. I’m pretty shit tired myself so let’s try and not make this difficult.” Tae snapped, “Walk out right now if you’re leaving. Someone make a list of that and we’ll wire you cash. You can grab your shit on the way out but if you’re staying, you’re helping to plan a party. I will publically close the Mirage for two weeks until reopening festivities are ready. In this time, we will restructure, fill all the gaps that are made now by whoever leaves and fix this dump to actually make profit.” Tae announced. _
> 
> _“A party? So soon after Ji Kwang Ho has died?” A particularly older lady asked, clad in a scanty dress that didn’t flatter her figure or her age and her makeup was garish. Tae and Jiya knew this woman – walked into the office far too many times and caught her with Ji Kwang Ho in their tryst._
> 
> _“If you wish to mourn, I believe we have shrines open outside the HUB. Maybe it’s time to retire and embark on a pilgrimage…” Tae rolled his eyes._
> 
> _Jiya would have laughed if she wasn’t preoccupied with the idea that Tae had killed their previous boss to take his position. _
> 
> _“Well, if the rumours are correct, then everyone shouldn’t be surprised since they were all aware of how you hated the old man and wanted his position, Tae. You were calling the shots far more often than Kwang Ho himself so maybe it won’t be that hard to accept.” Siobhan mused aloud. _
> 
> _“The newbie gets it.” Tae muttered, raising an eyebrow as he watched Siobhan a little closer. Jiya caught that look in Tae’s eyes. He wasn’t just lusting after her – he was calculating her potential. Jiya had bit down on her lip – knowing she’d have to watch what Tae uses Siobhan for in future. _
> 
> _He hopped off the bar, polishing off the last of the vermouth before his gaze fell back on Siobhan, his tongue dart out at the corner of his mouth before it ran across his lower lip before he gave her a tilted smirk. _
> 
> _Jiya felt her gut pull the wrong way when Siobhan returned the gesture in her own flirty smile. _
> 
> _“First new Ji Household meeting is in two days… Enjoy your holiday, everyone.” He gave everyone a very smug and satisfied look as he slunk off the Mirage floor, heading toward the old Master’s office. _
> 
> _He stopped before Jiya, making eye contact, despite her clinging to the darkened hallway. _
> 
> _“Tae.” Jiya greeted, feeling her tongue too thick to speak clearly. _
> 
> _“Jiya.” He greeted with amusement in his blue eyes, she had never seen him look so satisfied as he did in that moment. _
> 
> _“What exactly are you doing?” _
> 
> _Tae raised his eyebrows, “Are you being hostile?” He walked into Jiya’s space, forcing her against the wall. _
> 
> _“The only thing I’ve done is make good on my plan. I got us a Household. So that means I need a right hand. Tricky business picking one of those, you know?” _
> 
> _“I wouldn’t know.” Jiya regarded him with a guarded expression._
> 
> _“The old man didn’t even have one to protect him from me.” _
> 
> _“You shouldn’t sound so proud.” _
> 
> _“I shouldn’t?” Tae sniggers boyishly, “Jiya, babe, listen – I have a particular candidate for the position of my personal right hand but I don’t know how she feels about it, you know?” _
> 
> _“Siobhan looks ready.” _
> 
> _“You noticed that? Are you jealous? I promise to make it up to you. Meet with me tonight. We can…” Tae bites down on his full lower lip suggestively, “**negotiate**.” _
> 
> _“I’m busy.” Jiya forced the lie. _
> 
> _“Busy? Even for me?” He pouted, leaning into her space further, “But my bribe on using your surname for this new household still stands. You need to help me, babe.” _
> 
> _“Help how?” _
> 
> _“Be my right hand. Name the new household. We’re not Ji Household members any longer. Maybe we don’t want to use a surname… Help me welcome a new way of running the Mafia, babe.” Tae grinned but Jiya couldn’t react, not when she was numb with anxiety. _
> 
> ** _That’s not Tae. _ **
> 
> ** _This is the new Master of the new Ji Household. _ **

Jiya tried to shake the fear funk within her overwhelming memories of that day but it wasn’t helping with how it was compounding with her current predicament with Tae. She needed to think. Tae, despite being ever ready to carve someone, he was being open with her to an extent and she needed to focus if she was going to ask him questions. 

She pressed down harder, knitting her eyebrows as the pain intensified against the pressure but she knew it was going to stop the bleeding soon. 

Tae’s office doors swung open, startling Jiya as she watched with wide eyes as Tae stepped in, his cool gaze landing on her where she curled up in his chair. 

His eyes fell to the gauze in her hand, ignoring the deep red stain on it. 

“Let me help you…” He murmured softly but he still could be heard across the office. 

“No, I’ve got this.” She decided firmly. 

“Jiya, I know you’re angry at me… let me explain while I help you…” He offered earnestly.

She didn’t respond but watched as Tae crossed over and swivelled the chair in a way to let him perch on the edge of the desk, surrounded by the mess of first aid supplies and spread his legs to pull Jiya closer. He laid her forearm gently over his thigh and covered his hand over her own and pressed a little firmer, flinching at the stifled whimper from Jiya. 

She bit her lip and let him apply pressure once more, eliciting another pained noise. 

“Sorry…” He apologised. 

She sniffed sharply, “You’re day drinking again. I don’t like that it’s becoming a habit.” She wrinkled her nose against the smell clinging to Tae.

“If anyone should have the habit of day drinking, it should be you. Your best friend is turning into a psycho… it should drive you to drink.” He flashed his wicked smile that waned as fast as he tried to force it. 

“He’s not a psycho. I think he just needs to talk.”

“Please. Jiya, I’ve seen the way you look at me. It changed the very moment I took over. This is just like that morning I took over a few weeks ago.” 

“Yeah… okay so maybe I was trying to ignore certain things… I still am trying to ignore things.” 

“Were you hoping that was just my high from finally achieving what I wanted? That it would wear off?” 

“I’m not naïve. Things just changed too fast.” 

“Keep up with me, babe.” Tae urged quietly. 

“I was on the same page until that shit you just pulled with me in front of Alice.” Jiya snapped. 

“You were hiding things from me. You understand how punishment works in my household? Are you going to quit being my right hand?” 

“It’s going to take more than that to make me want to run away. I know you have no intention of driving me away but you do have the intent to use me as a tool and that shit is not okay with me unless you really want me to punch you again. So talk.” She mustered a firm glare at him. Tae had the decency to look away from her fierce brown eyes, his gaze falling on the blood stained gauze on her arm. 

“I know it wasn’t right. I did tell you…” 

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” 

“Ugh… I hate talking about feelings, Jiya. Can’t I just… I don’t know… fuck until it works itself out of my system…” 

“Well, maybe you need to talk to Siobhan then… I don’t think she’s doing a good enough job if you think it’s that easy to solve your frustration.” She snipped. 

Tae snorted, “I would actually dare to say you are a jealous woman if you weren’t so ready to kick me right now.” He breathed a small laugh. 

Jiya didn’t seem amused but she didn’t shoot him down so that was progress, Tae guessed.

“The cut stopped bleeding… I need to apply disinfectant now…” She mumbled trying to pull away. He held on firmly and doused new gauze with the disinfectant fluid. 

He cleaned over the cut and tried to soothe her through her hisses of pain. He blew gently to cool the cut, brushing his lips to the unmarred skin below the cut. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you like this.” 

“When the fuck did you start to care about things like this… we get hurt all the time, Tae. This isn’t any different.” 

“But it is, Jiya. This was intentional. I wanted to punish you. I wanted you to be obedient and I’m turning into the tyrant I said I wouldn’t be but shit has been difficult lately for me…” Tae had circled his hands around her wrist again, and securing a large plaster over the cut. 

“Then don’t apologise. You achieved the desired end result.” Jiya replied flippantly, tired of his whiplash for the last few weeks. Jiya realised in that moment that they were currently having the longest conversation since Tae had taken over from Ji Kwang Ho. 

“But it’s fucking complicated. I feel like you shouldn’t be further exposed especially when I have a nagging feeling about how ugly this is going to get. It’s not like you can’t handle it but I need one untainted thing in my corner. I need someone on my side, no matter what happens from here on out.” 

“Tae, what are you talking about? I mean you’re already at the top, aren’t you? What more could happen from now?” 

“Keeping this position will be slightly risky given the Emperor’s Sons will find out about the new owner of what was Ji Household – I haven’t broken away from the Lee Household because the drug routes we run can’t collapse and it’s too much of pain to scout a new supplier and new cooking lab for the drugs right now but there are other things… more important things that I want.” He answered in a roundabout way. 

“Does it have to deal with Alice being forced into the Mafia?” Jiya asked, curious eyes steadfast on Tae to gauge his reactions. 

“You’re annoyingly perceptive when I don’t need you to do that.” 

“I am your right hand, after all…” Jiya gave him a light look, faint mirth in her expressive eyes, taunting him silently as if asking to prove her wrong. 

“Well…, yes, it’s about Alice and there is another thing linked to her. I’ve talked to her about it and I fear I may need to involve you in the near future. It’s too great of a burden to ask out of you but I would like to count on you to protect me by covering for me.” Tae rubbed at his neck, already feeling the strain in the muscles.

“Cover for you? You mean lie for you?” 

“Amongst other things, I don’t know how involved I want you to be but lying is a start.” Tae’s head tipped back and he groaned softly.

There was silence on Jiya’s end. It was different – it wasn’t lying for the sake of a job. It was risking herself for Tae.

“I don’t know what to say, Tae.” 

“Look, the choice is yours. I know you hate messy and this spells beyond messy but I’d like to say you are my first pick because even though you aren’t vanguard experienced, you do know the dangers of working in the mafia. I promise if you asked to be dealt in, I’ll look for the most passive end of the situation to deal with and I know you can handle that with ease without deserting. Siobhan and Eve-ie are too likely to be swayed and are too inexperienced… I’d even pay you and compensate you for the trouble, Jiya.” Tae regarded her seriously. 

“If I agree, then you need to be honest with me so we don’t get caught. That means you have to tell me everything. You need to give me answers when I ask of them, Tae. Money isn’t important between us, but I’d like to not be subjected to violence again.” She lay down her conditions.

“You’re being unfair. You’re buying yourself an immunity card this way.” Tae was impressed, but then again he knew Jiya had a sharp mouth and sharper mind to talk her way out of any situation she had been in.

“Of course, I need to be smart if this is going to be dangerous.” Jiya quipped and Tae laughed, refreshed at her attitude. 

“Naturally. I could always pay you in other ways… it isn’t that complicated.” Tae grinned, eyes sparking with the flirt. 

“I don’t tangle with professional contacts.” Jiya deadpanned, a little tired and still unwilling to retort in barbed comments just yet. 

“So how will we do this? This isn’t exactly something easily discussed here. You have too many eyes on you.” Jiya stood, placing her hands on her hips.

“Your apartment? We can talk then.”

“Alright… but Tae, this is the last or you don’t have a cover anymore.” She threatened softly, turning to leave but Tae gripped her wrist, halting her in her motion. 

Tae’s head dropped until Jiya could see nothing but his shining blonde hair and watched his shoulders shake a little. Her eyes widened when she heard him laugh but his arm reached out and wrapped around her exposed waist, pulling Jiya into the space between his legs. 

She gasped and stilled against Tae.

“You were so ready to protect Alice – she was just a stranger with little cuts on her arm… I wonder, just exactly what are you willing to do for me, Jiya? What will you risk for me to stop the way I’m aching on the inside? I’ve been so hungry for the kind of life I want that it burns me… Will you protect me?” Tae tilted his head to the side and Jiya starts to tremble, gazing into his murky blue eyes that have darkened and hooded over. 

It made Jiya chill over with uneasiness because she knew he’d consume her with that look. But his touch was too hot on her skin as his thumb traced half circles over the curve of her bare hip. Each back and forth swipe over her skin was a jolt of electricity – it made Jiya clamp down on her fight or flight instinct. 

“I can only help. I’m not as selfless as you think I am, Tae. I only do what’s for my benefit. Alice owes me now, and so do you so we’ll leave it at that, right…” She tried to twist her affection into opportunity and hoped Tae would buy it. 

“Alright, Jiya…” Tae smirked, but the light touch on her bare hip burned when his entire palm pressed against her, relishing the shocked gasp from her before his arm around her waist, “But you still owe me a name for his Household… I don’t want this shitty family name attached any longer.”

“I’ll think about it and let you know when I have an idea.” 

Tae nodded at her words, letting her go and watching her walk over to the large doors. 

“By the way, Jiya, I’ll send a message for when the time is right for me to come over.” 

“You can’t just decide shit when it’s convenient for you. I’ve got other jobs to work in the meanwhile.” Jiya huffed and exited the room, slamming the doors behind her.

“I can. As your new boss, you serve me before your own personal interests, babe.” Tae’s grin was menacing as he murmured those words under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well Jiya becomes more involved in Tae's schemes and things do not look promising 😁


	10. 9.  V O G E L     I M     K Ä F I G

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vogel im Käfig
> 
> Trans: German - Bird in a Cage
> 
> Min tries to devise a new plan while struggling to deal with the aftermath of the past 7 weeks of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ WARNINGS AND TRIGGERS BEFORE THROWING YOURSELF INTO THE CHAPTER.
> 
> This chapter could easily trigger so here:
> 
> Panic attacks  
Torture  
Blood  
Knife violence and Injuries due to knives  
Scars and wounds really ugly wounds  
Emotional warfare and equal amounts baggage  
Literally everything and anything else that comes with a hostage being abused by their kidnapper  
Sadistic Tae  
Fearless Min

9\. V O G E L I M K Ä F I G

German – Bird in a Cage

Meanwhile

Lee Min entered Tae’s Den bathroom, holding his side and leaning heavily against the door frame as he switched the light on. He grimaced when the light flickered on and he caught his reflection in the mirror, eyeing the large plaster over his right cheek. 

Just how long had it been since he was taken and how long had he grown accustomed to this habit of fighting with Tae to the point he’s constantly injured. 

He wasn’t sure but then again he had forgone the idea of time to stop driving himself insane but it was roughly a good few weeks since he was kidnapped. Min stopped counting the rough two week mark after he had blacked out against a scuffle with Tae. Back then, Tae had been coming back to the Den almost every day in comparison to how it was currently every fourth or so. 

> _Week Two_
> 
> _Min grunted as he tried to break through Tae’s grip on him. Min had made a mad dash from the bedroom and into the common room of the Den. He had his hand on the gate when Tae gripped him around the waist and yanked him back. _
> 
> _“Making a run for it, huh?” Tae hoisted Min over his shoulder while the other kicked and swore at Tae openly while he carried the Prince back to his prison of a room. _
> 
> _“Get in!” Tae had launched Min into the room by shoving the heir off him, slamming the door behind him, least Min tried to make a break for it again. _
> 
> _Min had landed on his butt but made for a split second recovery, using his momentum to lunge at Tae. When Min threw all his weight at Tae, the other landed against the door with a heavy thud and a groan before both of them were a crumpled head at the foot of the door. Tae shook the stars dancing across his vision and countered Min’s weight, tossing the Prince onto his back. _
> 
> _But Min wasn’t about to be bullied by Tae again and they continued to brawl on the floor but Tae had played dirty. _
> 
> _“I didn’t want to do this but you’re making this difficult.” Tae gritted his teeth and pinned Min down._
> 
> _He kneed Min in the gut before shifting his knee onto Min’s chest, pressing down with a crushing pressure. All the while Tae had surged his forearm across Min’s throat, restricting the airflow. The softer male gasped for air, tightening his fists until they were white knuckled, the material of Tae’s shirt grasped tightly between his fingers._
> 
> _“Fuck…” Min gasped, trying to suck in a breath but he left lightheaded and dizzy from the crushing pressures on his neck and chest. He hated it but his body was giving into the welcoming blackened edges of his swimming vision. He felt his fingers going numb and his grip loosening on Tae’s shirt. _
> 
> _Tae had huffed, feeling Min’s hands falling slack. Gone were the vicious instincts in Min as he embraced to fight against Tae but now Tae saw something bitterly fragile in Min’s eyes as those brown eyes changed from hardened hate to lucid worry as he tried to fight how his eyelids were heavy with welcoming the blackening darkness. _
> 
> _Tae felt a little sick. He had seen that expression countless times. It never made his skin crawl when he had robbed the light from someone else’s eyes but there was so much overwhelming vulnerability and hostile regret in Min’s eyes – and Tae then and there understood Min would just make things more increasingly difficult with each waking moment he had and yet he couldn’t draw the conclusion of killing the Lee Heir. _
> 
> _When Min came to, he found that he was cuffed to the foot of Tae’s bed. His barely healed wrist already rubbed raw again and his back was stiff from the cold. _
> 
> _He could barely disobey Tae with the humiliating condition he was in._

_Things were different now, Min supposed. He knew how to be smart about picking fights with Tae. _

_Thing aren’t as humiliating now… _

After Min had threatened Tae regarding Kai, he had added another cut to Min. After the pain and screaming had stopped, Tae had undone Min’s cuffs and let him shower, change into clean clothes – suddenly Tae’s entire wardrobe belonged to Min since Tae didn’t need a broke budget wardrobe anymore – and apply new bandages before he slapped the cuffs back onto his tender wrists. 

Min pulled up the dark blue hoodie up to tuck it under his chin, looking into the mirror and groaned when he saw the bandage on his side was stained and breathing was hurting the on running down the middle of his torso. 

He pulled out the first aid kid and undid the fabric tape to pull away the bloody gauzes that were held against the thin long cut. It was scaring him that it wasn’t really stopping its bleeding but the skin was really thin so maybe it would be another day before it would scab over. Min had cleaned and replaced the gauzes and firmly taped it down and then he twisted, eyeing the pink scar tissue that curled from his hip and up his side before curving towards his shoulder blade, some parts were still scabbed over his ashen skin tone but he tugged it the wrong way in his scuffle with Tae and now it was bleeding again. 

_That wasn’t healing that quickly… in comparison to the other injuries. But then again, that’s supposed to hurt like a bitch… especially over the ribs. _

Min supposed it had to deal with the fact that his entire body was adjusting to him being hurt all the time, his eyes fell to his wrists, the thick leather over his wrists hiding the raw flesh beneath it, only hinting the reddened edges of his inflamed skin at the edges of the leather. 

He dressed the wound in silence and trudged back to bed. 

_What can I even try now? What will I use against Tae now? He hardly comes back and there isn’t much to use to escape again. It feels almost hopeless. More hopeless than when Tae was here all the time. _

> _Week Three_
> 
> _On the morning that Min woke up, he had decided to seek the most infuriating behaviour by being obedient but only in the most passive aggressive ways despite being cuffed to the bed – his pride couldn’t be broken that easily. _
> 
> _The first step was playing mute. _
> 
> _He had listened to everything Tae had ordered him to do but he never bit the bait when Tae taunted him. However well Min was excelling at his tactic of being silent, he felt like he was losing his own game. _
> 
> _It was then Tae took advantage of Min’s silence. _
> 
> _Despite his rebelliousness, Min’s obedience was then hunted out by Tae privileging him with needs. He made Min earn his right to the bathroom and the right of meals. _
> 
> _The second was being difficult._
> 
> _Even with being granted meals, Min barely ate. _
> 
> _Logically he mentally argued that it wasn’t a very good idea since the hunger ate at him and deterred Min from being defiant. He fought the maddening hunger by filling his stomach with water, often suppressing the need to throw up the liquid but he refused to be bested by his hunger to move from his cramped curled up spot at the foot of Tae’s bed. _
> 
> _It wasn’t long until Min began a very broken rhythm of consciousness and unconsciousness but he had eaten enough to fall dangerously close to hunger black outs. The last thing he wanted was to pass out long enough for Tae to do something to him but Tae hadn’t come near him since Min had gone silent. _
> 
> _But it was beginning to wear on Min, he had a permanent headache even as he lay his head against the soft comforter, trying to will away the shivers and fever. _
> 
> _It wasn’t until his vision tunnelled within a split-second and Min slipped into the darkness. _

Min’s eyes fluttered open, mentally forcing his mind to focus but it was all too easy to slip into the numbness and haziness of post panic attack sleepiness. 

After Tae had left Min had a panic attack, feeling his body lock in place on the floor from where Tae sliced into his skin as punishment for trying to strangle him. Since leaving, Min had been in between states of awake and asleep for a few hours after his attack. 

But he can’t let anything stop him in the moment. 

_Not when Kai is promising to give Tae hell. _

_Not when there’s a chance to go back home. _

_A chance to get back to Kai. _

He needed to escape. He couldn’t wait around to heal.

_But just a little bit of sleep first… _

> _Week Four_
> 
> _When Min woke, he found an almost empty drip bag attached to him and dressed in a hoodie that never belonged to him. He had sat up with the support of wobbly arms that braced against the mattress._
> 
> _“Morning, little Prince, gave me quite the scare by passing out on me. You were doing so well with your little act of defiance.” Min found cold blue eyes staring at him. Min mildly wondered how long Tae sat there watching him._
> 
> _Tae had then informed him that it had been almost four weeks since he had been kidnapped and it had been roughly three days since Min had passed out from hunger and that was actually the third drip bag that Min had been through._
> 
> _Min was also aware that it was the first time in weeks that he had been in the room longer than mere silent minutes with Tae (when they weren’t physically trying to hurt each other). Min glossed over his appearance; Tae was half dressed in a denim shirt that he had rolled up until his elbows and yet to button up, still fresh from his shower if the damp blonde hair was anything to go by. _
> 
> _“You fucking touched me!” Min growled as soon as he felt orientated enough for an outburst. _
> 
> _It was the first thing he had said to Tae in weeks. His voice was scratchy and cracking with the lack of use. _
> 
> _Tae chuckled as he walked over to Min. Min found himself backing up against the cold frame of the bed headboard while Tae bent over, arms bracing either side of Min’s smaller blanketed physique. _
> 
> _Tae’s eyes were a tenfold more chilling when he invaded Min’s personal space but the smirk was just as unpleasant as the night he kidnapped Min._
> 
> _“I’m glad you’re talking to me again, Minnie. You don’t realise how much I’ve missed your pretty voice.” _
> 
> _“Did you even fucking understand what I’ve said?”_
> 
> _“Oh I understand, I understand how upset you are… but I can’t discern whether it’s because I actually did touch you or that you’re upset with me because I touched you while you were out cold.” His grin was wolf like and Min felt horribly disgusted. _
> 
> _ “Come now. Don’t look at me like that. Are you still upset about me hand cuffing you to the bed?” _
> 
> _Min scoffed. _
> 
> _“What? Was it not to your idea of being cuffed to the bed?” He grinned; lewd innuendo loud and clear and Min shot him a look of disgust again. He knew he was using every single cheesy cliché of a greasy kidnapper on Min to try and trigger a response._
> 
> _“Fuck off, Tae.” Min’s voice was still trying to stabilise itself._
> 
> _“You’re hurting me, Minnie. I took care of you and you won’t thank me.” His blue eyes twinkled despite how wicked he was._
> 
> _“Thank you.” Min spat. _
> 
> _“Now you’re just mocking me.” Tae held his chest as if wounded._
> 
> _“What do you want, Tae?” Minnie sighed, exhaustion clinging to him heavily and he felt a little stab of hunger. _

Min sat up in bed, turning to face the headboard frame and crawled to his pillow to pull it away from where it lay against the concrete, revealing the tally score that Min had scratched into the wall. The tally first started when Min had accidentally popped off the headboard ornament – it had chipped a small silver of plastic off and Min had been using that to scratch against the concrete – the plastic piece was almost ruined beyond salvage but he was sure his next escape would be successful. 

_Seven escape attempts… _

_Seven times to gather information… _

Min had learnt a few things since he started his escape attempts. The first three things he learnt was that Tae always kept his bedroom door locked from the outside, that the bedroom was always clean of weapons and that Tae always had one person in the Den when he wasn’t around to torture Min. 

Min learnt other things, like that the gate of the elevator is always locked and he never spotted the keys so it’s possibly on Tae or whoever is in the Den with him. He also learned how many minutes it took him to run from Tae’s bedroom to the elevator gate before he was tackled and dragged back to Tae’s room. 

_That’s when he chained me…_

Min clucked his tongue. 

The chain links were strong. He couldn’t break them against anything in the bedroom – even the bed frame wasn’t heavy enough to warp the links to weaken them. Tae was clever enough to bolt the chain to the floor instead of wrapping it around something. 

_Bastard… _

_But this isn’t going to stop me. _

> _Week Five_
> 
> _The morning that started week five, Min woke up to the tinkle of something. He couldn’t find it in his sleep addled brain to place the sound. It was then he shifted his hand unconsciously. _
> 
> _His brain belatedly called him a moron and to expect the tug of the cuff and pain. _
> 
> _But neither the tug nor the pain ever came. _
> 
> _Min had his hand in his lap._
> 
> _And there was a chain falling into his lap. _
> 
> _Min tugged the chain and found its long length coiling its base links bolted to the floor and wrapped around the foot of Tae’s bed. The chain was rattling and tinkling against the floor as Min tried to shift._
> 
> _“What the fuck?” He breathed into the air of the deathly silent Den before his outraged cries threatened to reach the surface. _

I have a promise to fulfil with Kai. 

Min had decided he was going to steal one of Tae’s blades and cut the leather and hopefully stab whoever the fuck was on watch, if not Tae himself. If there was no one to chase him, he wouldn’t be under a time limit to escape so his body would be able to make it through it.

He remember the fury he felt when he first woke to the cuff around his wrists – the anger against being trapped never faded, if anything Min had buried it to compact and build itself up until he was ready to attack Tae.

> _Week Five_
> 
> _Tae had played a cruel joke of putting Min on a leash now. _
> 
> _Min had stewed in his mood until Tae got back to his room in the Den and Min hurled the empty glass at him. Tae ducked it swiftly and regarded Min carefully, ignoring how the glass exploded into a million pieces just behind him but focused on Min who was shaking with anger. _
> 
> _“You’re a bastard, you know that?” Min paced slightly, wobbly stumbles between his hard steps. _
> 
> _“It’s not that I fucking trust you or any shit to not do certain things to me but you put me on a leash. You degrade me time and time again.” Min tugged and rattled the chain for emphasis. _
> 
> _“You’ve tried escaping four times, between the first two weeks and it started again last week after we solved your little hunger strike issue. I had to do something. If you’re going to behave like a wild animal, I’m going to treat you like one, Minnie. Behave for me and I’ll treat you better.” Tae replied flippantly. _
> 
> _“You keep me in this fucking room and expect me to behave like a good little hostage. You took me because of your sick fascination with how we look alike and my status but you’ve done fuck all with it.” _
> 
> _Tae flashed a look of anger before schooling his features and stalked up to Min. _
> 
> _Min laughed and it almost sounded hysterical. _
> 
> _“Am I pissing you off? Am I supposed to grow meek and be scared of you now? What are you going to do, Tae? I can still fight with this fucking cuff leash. Are you going to use your knife on me?” He tilted his nose up stubbornly and glared into the blue eyes._
> 
> _Min never failed to let Tae know how much he hated the blue eyed male. Tae felt his anger flare further with how hard and determined those brown eyes were. _
> 
> _The blue eyed male brushed off Min’s entire anger fit and it infuriated Min to no end that he was ignored. There was seemingly no way to disgruntle the icy eyed male. _
> 
> _So once again Min was left behind as Tae shut the door behind him._

The game of silence from Tae’s end hadn’t lasted long because he had come back to gloat about how he travelled to the Lee Manor to announce that the Lee Heir had finally returned and the belated news of the late Ji Kwang Ho had finally reached Master Lee Hyun Woo. 

> _Week Six_
> 
> _Tae was quite amused as he kicked opened the door that night, entire body slouched against the doorframe, and found a pretty heir in his bed. He shut the door behind him and emptied his pockets onto his desk and left to his bathroom routine of shower and sweatpants before bed. _
> 
> _When he got out of the shower, Min still soundly asleep in his bed and Tae took the moment to gaze at him. _
> 
> _Min looked almost cute. _
> 
> _He was wearing one of Tae’s hoodies again where the sleeves were pulled down to the point only Min’s slim fingertips peeked out from the edge of the material. He slept peacefully in the mix of light and dark material that he was swimming in with a soft snore since his plush lips parted slightly. _
> 
> _Tae found his gaze lingering too long on Min’s lips. _
> 
> _It was probably the first peaceful moment they’ve ever had. He rounded on his heel and walked over to get his office chair, rolling it noisily while watching Min intently for some sign to discern if the other was asleep or just feigning sleep._
> 
> _He sat down just in front of Min’s sleeping face, waiting on something from the other but he huffed and tipped his head back. He tried to fall asleep immediately but the scent of his own shower gel mixing with Min’s scent was messing with his head. _
> 
> _He slowly opened his eyes when he heard the sheets rustling. He found only the back of Min’s head in view as he turned onto his stomach, and looked at how the blonde locks that were so similar to his own had faded away and were replaced with long silky ginger brown hair that was beginning to fan over the pillow. _
> 
> _He ran a hand through his own hair and knew his blonde hair was natural and wondered if Min would ever go back to being blonde. He found his body shifting slightly closer, hunching over in his chair, his hand reaching even closer to Min’s soft hair. _
> 
> _Tae shuddered then froze when he felt something slip between his clothes and felt a cool and heavy object settle on his abdomen. “Don’t even touch me. Move away now. I’m too fucking exhausted to fight you.” Min’s muffled voice growled out. _
> 
> _Tae looked down into his lap to see Min’s arm sticking out from the sheets. Min’s arm was exposed as the hoodie sleeve picked up and the slender hand gripping his switchblade tightly against his exposed skin of his arm. _
> 
> _Tae’s mood soured and he snapped. _
> 
> _He gripped the bruised wrist and yanked the blade away. It slipped from Min’s grip and clattered noisily on the cold concrete floor as Tae flipped Min over, trapping Min’s arms under him. Min found himself yelping in fear when the chain wrapped over his torso, tangling and trapping his lower limbs. _
> 
> _Min bit down the panic, staring into daunting blue eyes but he wasn’t giving in. Min even ignored the tight grip digging into his wrist._
> 
> _“Oh, Minnie, you should not have done that…” Tae grinned, as if waiting on any excuse to roughhouse with Min again._
> 
> _“Let go of me, Tae.” Min kept trying to twist out of Tae’s grip to flip over and free his arms but Tae pinned it down, glaring at Min beneath him. _
> 
> _“Tae. Let go.” Min felt panic make itself cosy in his nerves, making ice shoot along his body and locking his limbs with heavy fear and making him break out in a cold sweat. _
> 
> _“Am I making you nervous, Minnie? I really hope I am. I’ve been awfully lenient with you, considering how busy I am and I expect nothing in return for being indulgent towards you.” Tae breathed, leaning in and taking pleasure in the look of unease on the pretty boy’s face. _
> 
> _“I’m not nervous. You’re hurting me! Now let me go!” Min yelled the last bit of his sentence. _
> 
> _Tae let go and Min didn’t waste a single second to roll over against the wall and gathered the short lead between his wrists before he lunged at Tae to try and hit him over the temple but Tae caught the chain and lifted, heaving Min off the bed. Min struggled and jostled but Tae was still trying to hook Min’s chain to the nail in his steel cupboard. _
> 
> _“No! Fuck… you’re going to dangle me like a rag doll.” Min growled before he threw his weight and fell off the bed. _
> 
> _He wheezed when he landed on his side of his injuries and started to crawl away from Tae. _
> 
> _However the latter dove to chase after Min, landing heavily on Min, making him scream but Tae flipped Min over and used the long lead to wrap over Min’s forearms and tugged hard, the chain’s links squeezing Min’s arms together painfully until they were biting into his skin. _
> 
> _He doesn’t cease pulling on the chains until Min whimpered softly, pleading for his arms to released._
> 
> _“Not yet, Minnie. You need to get it through that pretty little head of yours that I treat you far better than I treat anyone else and all you do is bitch about it.” Tae growled. _
> 
> _“Yeah?” The heir panted out, “I’ll keep bitching about it until I wrap this chain around your fucking neck.” Min hissed through the pain. _
> 
> _“Oh? Those are some filthy words from a prince. Are you trying to scare me, Minnie?” Tae breathed his snicker into Min’s ear. _
> 
> _The struggling male tried to squirm away from Tae but the blonde was being cocky and kept him on place and raised his eyebrows, taunting Min to try and escape. _
> 
> _“You’re almost cute like this, Minnie.” Tae sniggered and Min froze, realising that seventeen year Kai was a far cry from terrifying when he said the same thing in comparison to the psycho blonde above him._
> 
> _“Let me go, please.” Min whined when Tae jerked the chain._
> 
> _“You know what to do, Minnie.” Tae’s tone dripped with smugness, but Min was feeling hot under the way Tae’s breath was falling over his cheek, his cheeks flushed with humiliation. _
> 
> _He needed an out from the situation immediately. _
> 
> _Min slumped and gave up all fight he was putting up against Tae and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Tae. I’m sorry.” He spoke softly but he knew the other was listening. _
> 
> _Tae let him go. _
> 
> _“See that wasn’t so har– “ _
> 
> _Min used his wrapped arms to strike Tae across the face. It did a good job as the shot landed cleanly, he swung too fast for Tae to anticipate or react and knocked Tae to the side of the room while Min put as much distance between them before his chain snapped, holding the prince in place. _
> 
> _Min watched Tae, kneeling and a hand over his mouth but there was no mistaking the blood dripping on the concrete. Tae glared at Min, using his hoodie sleeve to wipe the blood off with the inside of his wrist and looked at the soft white fabric damp with blood. _
> 
> _“You fucking brat…” He hissed as he lunged from his kneeling position and grabbed at Min’s chain and pulled until the prince screamed, going down with his balance stolen and his world upended on his in a flash. His head smashed to the concrete before Min could try and cushion his fall. _
> 
> _He cursed, with his block spotted vision and ringing sensation in his ears and braced to fight against Tae as much as he could. He knew he was asking for it but this could be a chance to escape. _
> 
> _Min freaked as his vision tunnelled with blackness far too quickly for his liking and felt the panic surging into full blown limb numbing fear as Tae has him completely useless like the night he was kidnapped. _
> 
> _“What are you going to do?” Min made out brokenly as Tae delved a hand into the ginger brown hair and closed into a tight fist, yanking Min up. _
> 
> _“A part of me wants to make you bleed for the shit you’re putting me through tonight, Minnie.” Tae snarled. _
> 
> _“Is it to scare me or to satisfy your mood? Can’t handle your own hostage?” Min knew he should have shut his mouth but then he didn’t expect Tae to lose his cool and smashed Min’s head into the steep cupboard before pulling Min back to throw the chain over the hook. _
> 
> _“Fuck… that actually hurt…” Min hissed, blood gushing from his hairline and down his face. It took a few minutes to realise that his vision had indeed cleared and that he was facing the concrete wall and he was barely able to kneel on the bed without putting strain on his arms and his thighs – the nail in the cupboard was an inch too high for Min’s raised arms. _
> 
> _His muscles burned with having an idea of trying to keep his weight in place. His shoulders and biceps pulled with the strain and Min had to humiliate himself, arching his chest upward to ease the pain but he didn’t want to press up against the cupboard just yet to ease his pain._
> 
> _Not in front of him at the very least… _
> 
> _“You should see yourself, Minnie… Your pride astounds me.” Tae chuckled, watching unabashed at the strain in Min’s body that was making him stretch out almost whorishly. But he panicked when Tae pressed a knee into the bed just between Min’s spread calves. _
> 
> _“Tae, don’t do anything rash, please!” Min pleaded but Tae lifted the hoodie and pushed it up Min’s back to tangle around his shoulders and neck. _
> 
> _“Too late, Minnie…” Tae called out and swept the knife off the floor before he pressed the flat of the blade against Min’s spine._
> 
> _Min yelped feeling the blade at his hip. _
> 
> _“Don’t fucking do anything, please. I’m sorry! I’m fucking frustrated and I’m taking it out on you. I knew this and I knew it was dangerous. So please… please… don’t hurt me.” Min tripped over his own words as he rushed out his apology. _
> 
> _But Tae was silent. Deathly silent._
> 
> _Min screamed when Tae’s hand was in his hair again, wrenching Min’s head backward, making his neck arch painfully. _
> 
> _Min blinked, trying to bat away the hot tears welling in his eyes. _
> 
> _“You think that your tears and begging will placate me? You’ve hurt me…” Tae hissed, his hot breath fanning over Min’s neck and shoulder. _
> 
> _“No… it’s not enough but it’s a start…” Min sniffled, trying not to sob on the spot but his entire being was quivering in Tae’s grip. “Tae please…” Min looked at him with wet brown eyes and clumped eyelashes with tears that were threatening to fall. _
> 
> _“Sorry, Minnie. You’re pretty but you’re vicious and you won’t change that unless I do something about it.” Tae hissed when the knife bit into Min’s skin, slicing messily as Tae kept the knife sunk into Min’s flesh. _
> 
> _The metal made Min’s nerves burn with pain. He howled as it sunk into him. _
> 
> _“Stop!” Min screamed, begging Tae but Tae seemed demented, completely hell bent on hurting Min. _
> 
> _Min thrashed backward, trying to shake Tae from him, but Tae pushes forward on Min’s head, crashing his skull against the cupboard, holding Min in place. _
> 
> _“Tae! No more…” Min begged softly between whimpers as he bled and tried to stay still through the full bodied shivering. _
> 
> _He dragged the knife from the cut and up Min’s side, ignoring the agony filled screams that were ripping the air apart between them. _
> 
> _“I can't take the pain! I’m begging you. No more!” Min jolted away from the knife but had crashed against the cupboard, sobbing and panicking over how he had been cornered and couldn’t free himself from the hook. He pushed up, scrambling and trying to unhook his chain but Tae placed his hand on Min’s back and he stilled, his forehead pressed against the icy steel before he sobbed loudly, his entire body shuddering._
> 
> _“No more!” Min pleaded with his voice raw from his screams and tears but Tae watched impassively. _
> 
> _Tae had merely stilled Min before he split the wound further from his ribs and curved it until it was stretching across his back and under his shoulder blade. _
> 
> _Min’s cries cut the air in the small room. His entire body twitched with pain as he fought against trying to curl up despite jarring the split skin. _
> 
> _“Let this be your reminder, Min.” Tae spoke calmly and detached. _
> 
> _Min breathed raggedly, fighting the impending panic attack but he bit down on his lip until he tasted blood and steadied himself. His face was still tear-stained and he was bleeding down his entire left side but he breathed until he stopped the quivering of his body. _
> 
> _“I’ll remember this. This just shows how much you fear me, Tae. This just shows how you tried to control me. But I’ll be sure that this never holds an inch of power over me. Don’t mistake my fear. It doesn’t trump my hate for you and it certainly won’t deter my attempt to escape from here.” Min vowed firmly and spat his words, “This will only last a little while longer…” Min stared over his shoulder, a hardened chocolate eye glaring back at Tae. _
> 
> _“I look forward to it, Minnie. I am growing bored with how static you are.” Tae huffed and left Min alone in the room for the rest of the night. _

Min huffed. 

_He isn’t going to win this. But I can’t do this alone. He’ll never unlock these cuffs because he knows I’m acting out. Maybe I do need help from the outside. Maybe Kai giving him hell isn’t enough. _

_Kai… please… figure it out. Find me… I need you to find me… free me…_

Min sighed and turned on his good side, trying to imagine he was back in his bedroom in the Manor and that Kai was lying across him instead of the wall and rumpled sheets in front of him.

He swore he wasn’t crying again but the dampness in the pillow couldn’t deny the way Min had placed the back of his palm to his mouth and cried. He had been alone for so long and he was dying to be back in the outside world. 

He needed Kai to come get him. 

Min wanted _freedom_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vogel im Käfig is a piece composed by Sawano Hiroyuki for one of my fav animes.  
Shout out if anyone can place it. 
> 
> Anyway I'm being side tracked. 
> 
> The reason why I'm talking about it is because it fits Min and it suits his plight. His misfortune is unfair and his pain is unwanted yet is forced upon him and his longing for his freedom is that of a bird in a cage so it's apt as hell.


	11. 10.		N E X I L I S

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haaaaaapppppppyyyyyy New Year!
> 
> Welcome to the first update for 2020 for Stained Petals. 
> 
> It seems apt to start with KaiMin and a plan to kick ass. 
> 
> Enjoy everyone 🌸

10\. N E X I L I S 

_Latin – Entwined, woven together_

> _Kai’s eyelids fluttered open with the soft light of the day tickling at him. The lazy heat of the late morning clung to his bare skin pleasantly, warming him all the way down to his toes that peeked out of the endless tangle of sheets. He threw his arm out sleepily to the other half of the bed, making a noise of surprise in his throat when his hand hit the cool side of the bed. He adjusted his head; barely lifting his heavy head off the pillow and huffed a little as he cracked an eye open and found the other side of the large bed empty. _
> 
> _He rolled into the shadowed half of the bed, frowning at the familiar scent he knew so well but it was on the tip of his tongue. He couldn’t place a name to it. He shifted the sheets down to his waist, cranking his wrist in an awkward angle to scratch sluggishly at fine dusting of hair below his navel, feeling indulgently indolent with after feeling of basking in the sun. _
> 
> _Kai flipped over once more, cooling his skin against the sheets, mildly wandering how he has managed to sleep in so late – he doesn’t recall asking for the day off and he doesn’t understand how peaceful he feels. _
> 
> _Kai’s sluggish mind pays no attention to the way the bed dips behind him nor does he register the sheets moving._
> 
> _“Jongin are you awake yet?” A sweet and gentle voice chimed, feeling a small hand on his spine, running a firm stroke from the knot at the base of his nape and down all the way to the where his spine dipped at the base of his back, small fingers brushing against the line of his underwear. It makes him hum the groan that’s caught in his throat._
> 
> _However his eyes shot open as he rolled over and came face to face with a very blonde and very bare chested Lee Min, lying in bed with him._
> 
> _Kai was fully awake, drinking in Min’s image in his bed. _
> 
> _“Min…” His voice cracked. _
> 
> _“Good morning…” Min grinned shyly, his eyes crinkling into moons and his lips stretching wide with his smile. _
> 
> _“Minnie… it’s you.” Kai barely breathes, reaching out to cup Min’s cheek, eyes misty with tears and his teeth gritting to stop from uttering another sound – too afraid to break the delicacy of moment. _
> 
> _“Jongin? Is everything okay?” Min frowned a little, brown eyes growing concerned, mirroring Kai’s actions as he also reached out, cupping Kai’s cheek, fingers splaying over his high cheekbone. _
> 
> _“You were gone…” Kai choked out the words in a voice no higher than a whisper. _
> 
> _Min frowned further, curling closer to Kai and Kai is so desperate as he wrapped his free arm around Min’s waist, clinging. _
> 
> _“I was pretty sure, I didn’t wake you… I only left to make us coffee…” Min explained with a pout. _
> 
> _“No no…” Kai looked pained, his eyebrows furrowing under effort to keep his composure, “You were gone and I couldn’t find you. I still feel like I can’t find you.” Kai bit on his lip, head heavy and unknown to the tears falling. _
> 
> _“Jongin, I’m right here. Did you have a nightmare?” Min tangled his limbs with Kai’s, wiping away the stray tears on his cheekbones. _
> 
> _“It doesn’t feel that simple.” Kai blinked, fighting from shutting his eyes completely, least Min should disappear from him again. _
> 
> _“Are you in pain?” Min asked almost knowingly._
> 
> _“The pain is here.” Kai dragged his hand from Min’s cheek down to his chest where his heart is hammering and pounding against his rib cage, mirroring his own tight chest feeling. He splays his long fingers like a starfish, “Here. It’s been here for years, Minnie. I put it there, didn’t I? I’ve made us suffer and the pain feels heavier than ever right now, doesn’t it? I’m hurting us again…” He tells Min in a voice no higher than a whisper._
> 
> _“Shh… it’s okay…” Min reassured him, comfort wrapping Kai like a fuzzy blanket with Min’s voice soothing him and the latter brings his hand to curl over Min’s smaller one as his eyes shuts slowly as Min’s thumb stroked over Kai’s cheekbone gently. _
> 
> _Kai’s head turned until he could feel Min’s fingertips tracing over his eyelashes and his eyebrow, memorising the curve of his eyebrow and tickling the army of lashes while Kai pressed his lips to the pulse point on the inside of Min’s wrist, the thrum against his lips telling him that Min wasn’t going anywhere. _
> 
> _“I’m not leaving you…” Min’s words makes Kai’s eyes shoot open and widen until he turned back to gaze at Min. Min smiles, achingly sweet and rare, as he wrapped his arms around Kai’s neck and kissed at Kai’s forehead, holding on a little tighter when Kai choked on a sob and his arms curled around the blonde almost painfully._
> 
> _“I can’t let you leave me.” Kai pressed his forehead into Min’s shoulder, shuddering lightly as Min’s cool hands, brushed soothing strokes up and down his back before tangling his hands in Kai’s dark hair. _
> 
> _Min hummed soothingly, “You can’t leave me either. You promised me, Jongin.” _
> 
> _“So we’ll always stay like this, Minnie?” Kai asked with cotton wool in his mouth, pulling away only to search for those pretty brown eyes. _
> 
> _Min smiles again and it is so pretty, stunningly pretty. Kai tries to tattoo this memory of Min in his mind for life because he has such a soft and fond expression on his face that it makes his brown eyes glow like hot melted honey and his mouth is soft and kiss swollen but pink and inviting. _
> 
> _Kai’s breathing hitches and his chest tightened with realisation of how much he loves Min. It physically aches when he tries to understand how much he needs Min and he was not entirely sure how he has survived for so long with nothing but their broken memories and bitter conversations when they could have blossomed together – clandestine and unguarded until they were honeyed like this, it leaves Kai feeling exultant. _
> 
> _Min is so life changing to him. _
> 
> _“We’ll always be like this.” Min laughed low and soft, pressing another kiss to Kai’s temple and Kai physically steeled himself from sobbing further with the overwhelming scent of roses that clung to Min. _
> 
> _“I hate being lonely, Minnie...” Kai confessed quietly, tangling his fingers into the fine blonde hair. He doesn’t want to stop touching Min. He doesn’t want to stop feeling that Min was there with him. He doesn’t want to let go and let Min fade from him. Kai convinced himself to be Min’s anchor and uses his other hand to curl his fingers into Min’s skin until he curls into Kai with giggles on his lips. _
> 
> _“I know you’re lonely… but isn’t this perfect as it is?” Min looked up, shining brown eyes and fair hair fanning over Kai’s tan arm as he rests his head against the hand cupping the back of his head and playing with his hair. He canted his head playfully, grinning once more but it was lazy like filled with content and unspoken affectionate that doesn’t need to be voiced because they’re so comfortable with each other._
> 
> _Kai gets it completely but he flashes a ghost of a smirk._
> 
> _“No. I’m greedy when it comes to you. I will always want more.” Kai pressed his forehead to Min’s, sighing softly._
> 
> _“Why?” Min asked quietly, not minding the way they’re tangled together in bed and just sinking in the feeling of them being able to physically touch each other. _
> 
> _“Because…” He pulled back from Min and looks into the brown eyes again, “It’s plain and simple… I love you. I’ve always loved you, even when I didn’t understand that I did and I don’t think I’ll ever stop, not when I know I can love you just the way you want to be loved.” Kai admitted with a worried expression. _
> 
> _“You love me?” Min asked quietly, brown eyes no longer twinkling with amusement. _

“Yes…” Kai croaked quietly into the air as he startled awake, eyelids fluttering open with tears in them. He bolted upright from the hard floor. He had fallen asleep in Min’s room, at the foot of his bed, still clutching Min’s grey hoodie. 

_Just a dream… _

Kai curled up by drawing his knees to his chest, not minding the bundle of Min’s hoodie in his lap and buried his head in his arms and sniffled, letting his tears falls freely. 

“Shit…” He mumbled, because really, why does it hurt so much? 

The mere suggestion of Min’s disappearance made him ache. He hadn’t cried like so in years – perhaps it was his ten year old self resurfacing, feeling the loneliness settle bone deep in him again. 

_But I know I’m not alone. _

Kai could count on his fingers on the people he can cling onto but it seemed like a far cry if he doesn’t have Min to come back home too. He knew he was selfish and he’d want Min and only Min. 

Kai tried to push back to surge of memories from when Min finally gave into him, finally gave into the possibility of loving Kai.

“Where did you go, Minnie…” Kai’s hands fall to the hoodie again, balling his fists into the material, silently begging for the man to magically fill the hoodie and have Min in his arms once more.

* * *

It took Kai a total of thirty minutes to try and pull him out from his slump before he started to think of what could have happened to Min. 

Currently, he was on the phone, waiting for Sehun to pick up. It wasn’t too long before the call connected. 

_“Fuck… Jongin! You finally called! Do you have any idea what time it is? You’ve been radio silent as off the last fifteen hours.”_ Sehun rattled off immediately and he expected to be shut up somewhere in between half of the rant then he pauses. 

Kai gritted his teeth, knowing Sehun has picked up on the change by his lack of scolding but when he heard Sehun’s voice after being locked up in Min’s deathly quiet apartment, he can’t help but feel overwhelmed even as he was sat in his car and a hand in the familiar grey hoodie that was a bundled mess in his passenger seat. 

_“Jongin… are you okay?”_ Sehun asked quietly after a few moments of silence. 

“Not really. I don’t feel good.” Kai admitted shakily, hoping Sehun won’t make an issue of it because brotherhood and camaraderie damned, they’ve had far too many cries together lately.

Sehun was far too quiet for Kai’s liking and he almost wanted to take back what he said about Sehun fussing over him. 

_“Come home, Jongin.” _Sehun blurted all too bluntly. 

“I want to come back but –“ 

“_But you don’t want to leave Min’s place?” _

“All his stuff is still here… He hasn’t come back, Sehun. It’s clear to see…” He feels his grip around his phone ache because of how his fingers tighten over the device too tightly, he sucked in a breath, “… it’s clear to see something has happened to Lee Min.” Kai admitted hollowly over the phone. 

_“Do you want Luhan and I to come get you?” _Sehun asked gently, understanding the weight of Kai’s words. 

“No… I need to work on how to get him back. I can’t grieve over being unable to stop it, I could be putting him in further danger by wasting time like that. I mean I’m already weeks behind.” Kai huffed with a shattered _laugh. _

_“You can’t do that to yourself, you didn’t know… and we’ll get Princess back.”_ And Kai thinks Sehun is a rock, resolute and firm to his promise as always. 

“I know.” Kai looked back to the building where Min’s apartment is tucked into, “I have a few ideas of how to start looking for him. But we can’t do it like this.”

_“What’s the plan, Kai?”_ Sehun asks all business like and serious. 

“How’s Luhan?” Kai grinned at breaking Sehun’s mood. 

“_Luhan hyung? He’s fine. Maybe mad over his glasses being broken but he’s fine. He tried hacking your phone to find out where you were but you actually pulled your phone to pieces, you fucker! How could you do that?”_ Sehun scolded but he huffed, dropping his lecture. 

“Think he can handle coming into the Undercity to one of his safe houses?” 

_“Sure, I can bring him by later…” _Sehun started to make arrangements but Kai stopped him. 

“No. I need you to make a trip to the Strawberry Estate. You need to set up in the storage locker there.” 

“_We’re running covert reconnaissance?” _

“Hmm… No one can know about what we’re doing. The Master is vaguely aware of us running off the books shit but he told us to cover tracks and he doesn’t want to know about it. He said he’d find me for his own update on the situation.” Kai hummed softly.

“_This is going to be a fuck ton of unnecessary trouble. Luhan will be taking my car, he said he’ll get gear form a pick up location before he heads over to set up and he’ll send you the safe house location once he’s ready for you. For now, use my apartment. Go get cleaned up and sleep until Luhan calls.”_ Sehun instructed firmly. 

“Hmm sounds good, what’s your door combination code?” 

“_Reverse my birthday.” _

“Ex intelligence agent and you used your birthday?” Kai snorted. 

_“It’s reversed.”_ Sehun hissed. 

“Yeah, bet you had hacking algorithms stumped there.” Kai snickered further. 

Sehun grumbled over the phone, threatening to hang up on Kai. 

“Before you do that, tell me what Tae has done in the Manor since I left?” 

_“Apparently he left before you did and he hasn’t returned, Madam Kang says this is a bit of a habit with him. He doesn’t stay when the Master doesn’t need him. This makes tracking him shit annoying.”_ Sehun clucked his tongue.

“We’ll work around him soon. He’s thriving off an edge he has over us only for now. After we’re done with set up, we’ll investigate the current Lee Heir a little further.” 

_“Poor fucker doesn’t know what’s about to hit him.”_ Sehun snorted. 

Kai seemed to agree but didn’t say anything until it hit him.

“Hey, wait. If Luhan is using your Challenger, what are you using?” 

“_One of your bikes, what else would I use?”_ Sehun scoffed as if Kai had asked a very stupid question.

“Your Challenger? You just totalled the last one you borrowed from me. You are not destroying my collection.” 

_“It was the cheapest one of the lot, you bitter bastard.”_ Sehun objected.

“Buy me a new bike and I’ll forgive you.” 

_“Fine. Just… don’t spend all your time there. Min isn’t coming back to that apartment until you take him back there so don’t linger if it’s going to make you sound as sad as you sounded when I picked up.” _

“I do not sound sad.” Kai pouted. 

_“No. you’re right. You sounded much more than sad. I bet you’re angry as well. So we need to get on the double, don’t we?”_ Sehun’s grin comes across the line perfectly even if Kai can’t see him.

“Yes. We have a lot to do.” 

* * *

The next day Kai was called over by Luhan. 

The younger had spent the most of the day being dead to the world with deep sleep after arriving at Sehun’s apartment. So Luhan doesn’t expect the tackling hug he was suddenly roped into when Kai entered the new safe house. He had been anticipating a half asleep Kim Kai to come trudging in through the door. 

“Kai – offff, get off! I’m fine!” Luhan gasped and huffed under the crushing weight of Kai as the younger doesn’t release his hold. 

“But, Hyung, you were hurt and you had a panic attack.” The raven haired man fussed, turning Luhan’s face from side to side searching for bruises. 

“Fuck, does that brat always run his mouth? I’m fine.” Luhan’s words were tight and sharp but Kai drew the line and withdrew from Luhan. 

“Actually no. Sehun wouldn’t tell me anything when I asked. He said it wasn’t his place to even say anything. It was Madam Kang. She asked me if I knew about them…” He corrected quietly, shuffling on the spot, swapping his weight from the right to the left before he chanced a look at Luhan.

There was a moment of silence while Luhan’s expression softened.

“Well, it looks like Sehun does know when to shut his mouth. Cmon. Set up with me, we’re testing the comm link with the brat. Anyway it isn’t exactly like a secret; I wasn’t in a favourable situation. It reminded me of the last time I was operating in the field.” Luhan beckoned him over to the workstation with a single monitor with a strawberry sticker on it. 

“Hyung, you know we won’t let that happen to you again. It was my fault. I let you and Sehun get ambushed.” Kai joined him and fiddled with the camera on the monitor until Luhan smacked his hand away and gestured for Kai to wait. 

“Whatever, it’s a shitty condition that remained with me. I handled it well enough. I’m smart enough to know when to stay away from trouble but we all have something from the missions where we almost died. Sehun has scars that you can see and I have ones that you can’t so treat me all the same. I may not have worked at Sehun’s shitty organisation but I have pretty good feeling about VaultTech being just as brutal with all our dirty dealing operations.” 

“How bad was it?” Kai’s eyebrows shot up toward his hairline with the new information.

“We had two floors labelled as call centres but it was actually the operations floor for hackers. We’d do everything from bank account siphoning to info cracks and the long range support division for VaultTech field agents.” 

“Wasn’t it dangerous to cluster units like that when you’re supposed to value isolation? What happened when one of you guys go traced back?” 

“Usually, the firewalls would fall in place when it came to tracing and the second was bouncing the IP addresses around like a Trojan before the last resort was implemented.” 

“What was that?” Kai seemed interested. 

_“They’d blow up the unit’s operating booth just like Medusa would off an agent.”_ Sehun’s voice chimed. 

“Shit, Visual link is delayed.” Luhan commented as a whole thirty seconds passed before Luhan’s screen blinked to life with a very sweaty Sehun in sight. 

He had been stripped down to a black tank that seemed to cling to his skin if the sweat slicking his arms and chest are anything to go by. It seemed to have made his blonde hair darker, the short locks losing the shiny quality when damp but the knitting of his eyebrows and flushed face gave away his mood even with heat and Sehun had seemed to cleared up quite a bit – Kai knew that he and Sehun had left the Locker in a state before they left, _“You need to be careful, audio connects faster than the camera kicks in, even if the algorithm is secure to us only.”_

“Don’t lecture me. Any way you look well, brat.” Luhan greeted, deliberately picking up the bubble tea from his desk and slurping loudly. 

Kai bit back his laugh while Sehun squawked, narrowing his eyes as he swore at Luhan. 

_“You know what? Fuck you, Luhan! You get to parade about that shitty city and stop for fucking bubble tea before you set up in your cosy safe house but Kai sent me to this shitty Strawberry Estate Locker and I haven’t seen one fucking strawberry yet. It’s stifling in this hellhole and I have one working window. ONE. And it’s open right now but it does fuck all for the heat in this room!”_ Sehun snapped as he raged, his face flushing a furious red and he seemed to be working up a sweat again. 

“There’s a tall standing fan behind the cupboard.” Kai suggested. 

_“It’s broken.”_ Sehun hissed, “_A weapons bay is supposed to be cool. AIR CONDITIONED, KIM KAI. Do you understand what I’m saying?”_ The blonde huffed, taking a step back to reveal he had been standing in nothing but his black silk boxers as he ran a hand through his damp hair. 

“What happened to your pants?” 

“_Don’t_.” Sehun growled.

“Did you rip them?” Kai asked, the corners of his mouth upturning with his amusement.

“_I’ll rip you when I see you, Kai. You don’t even deserve the bike anymore.”_ He snarled, making Kai bark laughter out.

“Well, at least we know that comm link is working, so thanks for the sound and visual test, Sehun.” Luhan smirked and bit down on his straw as he laughed as Sehun. 

_“I hope you choke on those jojoba pearls, bitch._” Sehun huffed.

“Now now, be nice, Sehun.” Kai chided playfully. 

_“I want to know why I’m stuck in this stifling room…”_ Sehun growled. 

Kai sobered a little, frowning with how word what he had tried to deny since he had left Min’s apartment.

“I’ve set you two up in remote locations so this reconnaissance can go off with a hitch. I can’t deny it any longer. As difficult as it is to admit to, Lee Min is missing. This is the reason why we’re doing this. I have a number of ideas of what could have happened to Lee Min but we need to investigate.” 

_“What’s your immediate list of reasons?”_ Sehun asked, his flushed and irritated image on the screen panting silently.

“So far, I’ve narrowed it down to three options.” Kai hummed, picking up the notepad and jotting down them down. 

He picked it up and showed it to Sehun. 

“The first, ghosting, is highly unlikely. Min doesn’t run away. He isn’t irresponsible like that. It’s out of his nature.” Kai explained so he crosses that out in the margin. 

“The second, kidnapping, is possible. It isn’t unheard of for mafia heirs to be used as collateral – often being kidnapped for political scuffles or ransoms. However, we’ve always nullified that from Min’s life when he was under the Manor’s care.” 

“What did you do for him when he left?” 

“Nothing. His uncle approached us and told us of how he had his own people planted within that building. His uncle is considered a chaebol of sorts, considering Min’s mother and him were twins and their family empire in cosmetics were split down the middle for each of them. He may not have power like us in the Lee Household but his security company is just as strong when concentrated.” Kai explained. 

_“So, Princess was constantly protected whether he was aware of it or not, but he still managed to disappear from everyone’s watch?”_ Sehun clucked his tongue. 

“It’s possible. We’re not perfect and Min most likely had a job. Unfortunately, I never found anything relating to work at his place – no documents and no uniform. He was outside of protection whenever he left his apartment.” 

“But no one was aware of this… yes?” Luhan asked. 

“In the Mafia? No one knew. So it leads to the possibility he was snatched by an outsider – or by some bizarre turn of events, it’s made to look like someone not involved in the mafia directly. Whatever the case maybe on who is responsible will only come to matter when Lee Min is found and as it stands no one is exempt…” Kai gritted his teeth. The idea alone of someone thinking they could get away with kidnapping Min angered him to the point he could feel his blood boiling. 

“What about your third option?” Luhan asked. 

“He could have been sold into being a human slave.” Kai admitted gravely. 

“How could you even consider that, Kai?” Luhan looked alarmed.

“_It’s no use hiding from it._” Sehun pursed his lips with the uneasy statement. “_The Undercity doesn’t exactly hide its growing market for slaves. It’s disgustingly popular.”_

“But would they take Min?” 

_“He’s undeniably pretty and he’d fetch a good price. Pretty male slaves are desire amongst those fuckers. I’ve seen it.”_ Sehun confirmed, “Kai, leave option three to me. I’ll investigate. I have an idea of how to get information if Min is anywhere in the black market.” 

“How?” Kai croaked, a little broken with Sehun’s hard words.

“_I have a friend I can go and see. He happens to be amongst the five wealthiest slavers.”_ Sehun looked a little queasy but he was determined to help find Lee Min. 

“You have the strangest friends, Sehunnie.” Luhan commented quietly. 

“_Yeah, I make them in the strangest ways too… it helps in this situation anyway.”_

“Alright then we need to plan for it… Sehun, your arrangements will have to tie in when we need to have meetings. Luhan and I will devise strategies on how to approach the Lee Manor. Tae still needs to be taken care off.” Kai wrapped up tersely.

“Do you think he is operating solo and has no link to Min?” 

“Absolutely not. He’s a lead on what happened to Min but I have nothing to link to him as yet. We can only shadow him and hope he slips up but he’s too clever to fall for that – he knows we’ll be looking to gain the upper hand on him. I’m hoping if we make it obvious enough it will make him nervous.”

“_When will you act on that?_” Sehun asked.

“Not just yet. I need to see how the current Lee Heir behaves in the presence of the business partners…” Kai mused. 

“_Don’t sweat the nitty gritty details just yet and give him hell, Kai. However, I’m leaving to shower and I’ll report back after a few phone calls.”_ Sehun signed off. 

Luhan didn’t like the feeling he had in his gut. It wasn’t a concrete sign but it had never came up in their discussion and he felt the urge to tell Kai – only so that he knew that the younger wasn’t searching in vain. 

“Kai… I wanted to ask…” 

“Spit it out, Hyung. I know you’ve been antsy since the beginning of this conversion.” 

“Are you considering the option that Lee Min may very well be…” He bit on his lip, unsure of how to word it gently but Kai beat him to it.

“Dead? It’s a truth I don’t want. To say he’s dead is to already kill Min off when we haven’t even given finding him a fighting chance. Half of this search lies in believing in him no matter where our legwork takes us. I believe this city won’t kill him. He won’t let it. He’s hated what his father and his friends have crafted this city into for years. He won’t let it best him.” Kai stated, looking at Luhan with something akin to admiration in his eye. 

He can’t understand Kai’s relationship with Min nor his understanding of Min, having not met the latter but Luhan could understand something as glaring as implicit faith between two people and maybe Kai values Min’s will to live and survive in a grander scheme of things.

“I’m glad you understand my concern… I just didn’t want you searching in vain.” Luhan admitted quietly. 

“I understand, hyung. I’m glad Sehun and I can count on someone like you.” 

“I’m just a techie.” Luhan shrugged. 

“You’re wrong about that, Hyung.” Kai mumbled. 

“What did you say, Kai?” Luhan had not heard Kai clearly. When he turned to face the younger, Kai had be unconsciously tapping his pen on the table surface lightly as he was deep in thought. 

“What are you thinking, Kai?” 

“We’re going to be out of the Manor for quite a while… Can you bug the Manor? Like tap into the visual and audio feeds we have?” 

“Sure… I can do it.” Luhan grinned, already having an inkling of what Kai wants done. 


	12. 1 1.		S N O W F L A K E S    A N D     O R C H I D S

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snowflakes are unlawfully binding... 
> 
> Orchids are sinfully liberating...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowwwwwwww updates. I have maybe two more chapters of new content already written but I'm still working on this rewrite 🤣
> 
> My plot wilded so badly. I need to get on with writing chapters.
> 
> Anyway here's the new update. I'm kinda curious about the reaction this chapter will bring out. 👀👀👀👀👀

1 1. S N O W F L A K E S A N D O R C H I D S 

Sehun paced the little storage locker thinking of how to get information out of the Elysium club. The idea of going back left him feeling on edge. He knew he had foot through the door with his little incident regarding the Dragons and Lee Jaehwan – even if it did make him a target of interest to the elite circle of the Slaver Kings. 

_It will be better to monopolize this, than to shy away from it…_

He walked over to the duffle bag he had set up in the corner next to the door, unzipping it before he reached in and pulled a cell phone.

It wasn’t Sehun’s everyday use phone but it wasn’t any of his other back up phones either. No, this was a different phone. The little device mocked him. It was slim-line in its design and smooth with its large glass screen. Sehun turned the phone over in his grasp, gritting his teeth against his decision. 

_This is such a bad idea. A terrible one. _

He swore it was burning a hole in his duffle bag as he was carrying it around like a dirty secret. 

“Tch,” He grumbled under his breath, powering it up. 

Sehun felt the wave of nausea pass over him as he was met with a sleek design of the all too familiar mandala that covered the screen. Sehun knew it was a bad idea overall but he knew it wasn’t about good ideas or bad ideas. It was a means to an end – an end where Lee Min was found alive; and hopefully not as a slave. 

He opened up the contact list and glared at the three names in the contact list. It was the only set of numbers on the phone. He wondered if he was out of his mind to be wondering on whether to call a Dragon of the Emperor’s Sons or not. 

Sehun recalled when he had stepped out of the Dragons’ van, leaving behind a shocked Jonghyun, with a brand new set of blades weighing heavily in his back pocket.

> _He had come to meet Key, who had been standing just two feet away. _
> 
> _“He’s full of shit for putting us at risk like this.” _
> 
> _“Well, that sounds like your problem and not mine.” Sehun had the nerve to grin, no malicious intent behind aside from making fun of Key’s misery. _
> 
> _“No. You are my problem.”_
> 
> _“Probably should have left me alone or… next time check if you really killed someone when you mean to kill them.” Sehun hissed. _
> 
> _“That’s not what I meant…” Key sighed softly. _
> 
> _“Then what do you mean?” Sehun demanded almost defensively._
> 
> _“You’re a brat. You’re a magnet for trouble and you know it. And you’re probably going to get into more shit that will most definitely involve you almost dying and it frustrates me that neither you nor Jjong try to curb that. But neither will I. I don’t babysit brats.”_
> 
> _Key looked beyond irritated, his cheeks flushed from the cold air and his anger as he reached into his pocket and Sehun felt the urge to prepare and dodge from whatever Key was about to hurl at him. _
> 
> _Instead Key had tossed a phone at him. He had caught it in surprise, even when he had been thinking that Key was going to throw another knife at him. _
> 
> _“Don’t die. Call if you need help.” _
> 
> _“Do you think I’m that weak? That I need to depend on you?” Sehun fumed._
> 
> _Key snorted, “See, you think just like a brat. All wound up and triggered. And you only get like this because of us.” He smirked; the lilt of his voice intoned his amusement._
> 
> _“You’re getting a kick out of this far more than you’re letting on to anyone else. Is Jjong even aware of this?”_
> 
> _The Dragon didn’t get to respond because Jonghyun had finally stepped out of his van, watching how Key glared at Sehun._
> 
> _“So, are you expecting something of me too?” Key snapped._
> 
> _And Sehun felt like grinning, amused with Key’s sudden change in demeanour. What was with the tough guy act around his Hyung?_
> 
> _“Not at all.” Sehun gave him his best blank look._
> 
> _“Then get going already, brat.” Key ordered._

Sehun figured he had pondered enough on it and selected Key’s number. 

_“Never did I expect you to call so quickly. Was your ego that easy to swallow?” _

“My pride was beaten into sitting out of this conversation. I’m doing to this for other reasons.” 

_“ What do you need, Oh Sehun?” _

“I want in to Elysium.” Sehun said slowly. 

_“Somehow I feel like you’re asking this not as a slave, yes?” _

Sehun gritted his teeth. 

“No. Clearly you’ve seen I’m not suited for that.” 

_“So, what’s your angle, Sehun? It isn’t exactly clever to ask the enemy of what you want from them…” _

“Can’t beat them. So join them.” Sehun shrugged. 

“_**Oh**_?” Key sounded unconvinced over the speaker. 

“Are you going to help me or not?” Sehun asked, throwing the same doubtful tone at Key, “Tell me if you aren’t capable or not to help…” 

“_Nice try, brat. You’re desperate to get in judging by the catty approach but I don’t know why just as yet so I’ll help. I want to see what will happen.”_ Key snickered before he rang off, leaving Sehun without getting an edgewise in. 

Sehun huffed, knowing Key easily wound him up but he breathed in and out before steadying his mood. 

The phone in his hand beeped in a shrill tone before the screen went blank with a blindingly white screen before the screen died out, switching off the phone in the process. 

“What the fuck is even going on?” Sehun blinked, clearly understanding that someone was hacked into his phone.

It had restarted not a moment later with a blank black screen which gave way to the shower of green coding layers that zoomed over the screen in a fast scrolling motion. The screen blacked out once more. 

“So all that and no fireworks?” Sehun mumbled. 

The screen lit up with single large white snowflake in the centre of the screen with a thin loading bar beneath it. The snowflake kept shimmering as it flipped over and over as the bar loaded. 

_Welcome, Oh Sehun._

_Title: Slave Owner_

_Status: Elite Associate – Pending confirmation._

He looked over the entire Elysium app that had been coded into his phone, glossing over how organised the interface was. It seemed that the Slave business had come a long way from back alley deals and underground black market bids. There seemed to be more to be than to just making a person a slave. There was a brand to it. A brand with an identity and an aesthetic that these captured people were subjected to. 

There was an in app call – _Vox._

**“Good afternoon, Mr. Oh. Welcome to Elysium.”** A woman’s voice greeted him.

**“Please note, we’re not allowed to communicate directly with you and this is a no reply conversation so please sit back, relax and listen to me.”** The woman’s voice was sultry, coaxing him to hang on her every word. 

“**If my voice isn’t in your interest, please select your preference within our app so when we call you again, we can satisfy you.” **

**“I am Vox – a voice of Elysium and it is my pleasure to welcome you, not just to Elysium but to also extend your reach to any of our other platforms within the Fantasia Brand. Please note, all Elysium calls will be done in app to maintain our network for privacy and confidentiality. Elysium aims to provide you with the best by offering handpicked quality and personalising your experience to a fine tailored preference of indulgence.” **

**“However we do have rules and regulations that need to be adhered to. We are awfully fond of rules for a pleasurable experience. Please read through them at your leisure, failure to comply will lead to unsavoury results.**” A woman’s sultry voice came across, explaining the outline of how cleanly they handle slave trading. Sehun couldn’t help but whistle low at the system. It was impressively polished for such a filthy system. 

“**Please enjoy with Elysium. After all, we aim to know your darkest desires.**” The woman’s voice ended awfully suggestively before it rung off and displayed the home screen of the Elysium app with all the features that detailed buying and managing slaves.

Sehun’s stomach turned with the idea of going through the system in such a way but he had no other chance. He was desperate to find Min. They were already seven weeks behind on information and Sehun had no designs for a fine tuned detailed plan that required weeks of scouting and information gathering. 

He needed to be direct. 

His phone beeped in his hands and prompted a party banner. 

“Elysium has a new look. We’re inviting you to test your poison. Experiment with our new imported selection. Join us for a night of Elysian entertainment as we visit our roots in vintage burlesque. Come taste the forbidden exotic fruits at your will.” 

Sehun rolled his eyes, glossing over all the suggestive and eye-catching bait worthy statements that heavily played on sexual intones. 

He just needed a time and date. 

“Don’t miss out our night of temptation this Saturday, 02 November 2019. Click to confirm your attendance and further details.” 

Sehun exited the app to call Key. 

“You made me a fucking member?” He hadn’t even waited for Key to respond. 

“_But of course, Baby boy._” Jonghyun responded smugly. 

“What the fuck, Jjong. Get off the phone. I’m trying to strangle Key across the phone.” 

“_Funny, I always knew you had a choking kink but I never pinned you as the one who liked to be in charge though_.” 

“Right. I’m hanging up.” Sehun made a noise of disgust. 

“_Wait, Baby boy. We’re helping you as much as we can. And this is as far our reach goes, especially when you won’t share why you want to be in Elysium.”_

Sehun sighed, counting down from ten. He knew he was being too blatant – he wasn’t too so much attention drawn onto him but it was all for the sake of the plan. 

“Why does my title say Slave Owner?” Sehun changed subject. 

“_Because that’s what you are if you aren’t a Slave or a Trader?”_ Jonghyun replied as it was something obvious.

“I don’t have a slave nor will I buy one.”

“_You’re being a killjoy, baby boy_,” Jonghyun pouted, whining over the phone. 

“Then…” Sehun was both interested and irritated. 

“_We’ll provide but you’ve got to get creative to make this fun for us.”_ Jonghyun chuckled and rang off. 

It had been fifteen minutes when someone walked straight up to the door of the Storage Locker and drop off a small square box for Sehun. “I wasn’t here.” He muttered and turned on his heel and walked off.

The box had no markings, no tags or any stickers on them aside from the clear tape against the smooth brown box. 

He tore it open and flipped open the flaps of the box. 

Sehun hissed in disgust when he found the box with the Diamond Elysium band. He snapped open the familiar velvet lined box and found a card in it. 

_“I think the last time you had one like this, it was around your wrist. – KJH” _

Sehun clucked his tongue in annoyance, inspecting the band a little more closely and its snap adjustable mechanism to change the diameter of the band. He huffed glaring at the diamond studded snowflake before he snapped the box shut again and moved onto the other things in the box. Amongst the Elysium band box, there was another phone that coupled with the one he had. He powered it up and found it was Slave’s device built with nothing but the Elysium app and a tracker. It had a silk ribbon wound around the device with the tag on it saying, “_For Your Companion.”_ He shivered, thinking that even in a charade; it was downright demeaning for a Slave of Elysium.

The last thing he pulled out was a lace mask – a simple one that fixed across the eyes like a blindfold sash. 

Sehun set it aside and buried his face in his hands before running a hand through his hair. He wanted to throw the entire box and its contents away. 

“Think, Oh Sehun. Think. This is the time to monopolize everything about this situation.” Sehun cursed and shut the door of the Storage Locker behind him as he headed out to smoke. He needed to think. He climbed to the roof and paced, burning through a full two cigarettes before he pulled out his normal phone and phoned Kai. 

“I may have done a bad thing.” Sehun started without any preamble. 

“_You didn’t kill anyone, right?”_ Kai huffed.

“Not yet. Listen, I got us into Elysium. We have a party to attend. But we may or not need to pretend to be Slave Owners and I may or may not need a slave.” Sehun explained. 

“_Honestly, I don’t even question the crazy shit you get yourself into but how the fuck are we going to pull this off…”_ Kai sighed. 

“I was hoping by getting in we could sneak into the admin office before the Elite lounge to get us information on the slave database. Min’s name would be in it if they have him.”

“_They aren’t the only human trafficking business in this city…_” 

“Fantasia is the only worthy brand in this city… Elysium is just one branch. We can search their entire framework if we latch onto just one branch. Even if it is just a foot through the door.” 

“_So who will do the searching? Luhan?” _

“No, we won’t have enough time for Hyung to hack and search. I had the strategy to bring an unregistered slave that would attach a Trojan for us. We’ll be able to hide in their system but have access to everything. Luhan can search the moment we attach it.” 

“_So who do you know to do such an odd job of being your slave?”_

“I have one person in mind… I’m heading into the Undercity on Friday night to ask her.” 

“_You think she’ll say agree to the shit you’re about to propose?” _

“Maybe.” 

“_Where is this friend of yours, Sehun?” _

“She’s based in the Mirage.” 

“_The Mirage?”_ Kai asked, sounding surprised. 

“Something up with that location?” Sehun’s eyebrows shot up.

“_That’s Tae’s main point of operation. Luhan had bugged his car – it turns out he has Min’s car.”_ Kai sounded a little unnerved at that bit of information. 

Sehun remained silent. That did sound suspicious as fuck and a good lead that could possibly dig up a hint or two on where to find Min.

“We’ll talk about that later… when I see you. We have to discuss further on the bugging operation that you put Luhan on. But want me to annoy the fucker while I’m there?” Sehun grinned. 

“_Maybe I’ll come with you.” _

“Nah… it’s too soon. You told me he was taunting you because I got dragged into the basements and he didn’t even stick around to see the outcome of the night, right?” 

“_Yeah… what are you planning exactly, Sehun?_” Kai sounded suspicious, Sehun could practically see Kai narrowing his gaze at him.

“What better way to irritate him than randomly pitching up in his club for a fun night to celebrate my freedom…” Sehun smirked.

“_You’ve got to be the pettiest bastard that I’ve ever met.”_

“That’s because I take after you.” Sehun snickered. 

“_Listen here you fucker…”_ Kai snarled.

“Sorry Kai… I’m a very busy man and I’ve got to go. Plans to infiltrate a club and possibly exploit my only reliable contact. Byyyyyeeee.” Sehun spoke over Kai’s threatening tone and rang off. 

He sighed. 

_Now to plan the hard part. What to wear to go clubbing? _

* * *

**Friday Night, 01 November, 1 A.M: **

Sehun hopped out his Challenger that was standing in a parking bay within the Mirage’s vicinity. 

It had been a busy week of running around and planning with Kai about how to go about with the plan at Elysium. Kai had specifically ordered Sehun back to the Manor for a suit fitting. That was an entire fiasco since Kai seemed to find the entire retelling of how Sehun became an Elysium member in equal parts hysterical and horrified. Upon recovering from his bout of laughter, he had deadpanned his expression and told Sehun that he was taking a backseat for the entire operation and will only be attending as Sehun’s partner for the mission to take attention of himself. 

Sehun had groaned and agreed after much angling but Kai wouldn’t budge and only offered to be support in the entire operation. His only fight for control was about wardrobe for the night. 

Just when Sehun thought he had won all the battles behind the Elysium infiltration operation, he had been confronted by a tiny raging techie and spent the last two days arguing with Luhan over Trojan devices and how to mount them. They had been clever little things made by Luhan to look like harmless USB storage drives. All one had to do was plug it in and the Trojan infiltrates the system within mere seconds before one pulls it out and disposes of it. 

But those fights all seemed like sparring matches in comparison into convincing her to join him.

He didn’t know to what extent he could push with Jiya. 

Granted she was ideal for the mission and he would pay if she named a price but she only took low risk jobs. She liked intel gathering. However, what he was asking of her was a little beyond her reach – it wasn’t as simple as taking a key card from someone’s pocket or nicking a document from a file that was passing between her hands. Jiya specialised on convenience and timing. 

Both were lacking severely in the situation he would put her in. She would have a non-existent time window least they be caught and convenience was practically zilch considering they were going in blind. 

But he was hoping to convince her otherwise. 

She was marvellous on his last intel reconnaissance mission. She was a natural. She liked to observe people, noted little obscure things that were telling of people’s habits and characteristics. That was rare and a honed talented if he ever saw one.

Having complicated and unresolved feelings towards Jiya aside, Sehun respected her talent and her ethos. Jiya was an ideal work partner if he ever needed to settle for just one. 

But she was inexperienced. 

She had little knowledge in combat despite knowing how to injury someone with her high heels and had an idea of how to hold a knife without risking cutting herself. But that was as far as her skill went and it somehow ended up evoking something stupidly primal and alpha like within him that left a large part of him wanting aggressively to protect. 

He had logically worked out that it was on the respect he had for her that he’d willingly compensate for where she lacked because she had him covered. It had been a long time that could count on someone who wouldn’t get him killed in the field. 

But he couldn’t exactly justify the part of him that wanted to claim her while protecting her. There wasn’t anything professional regarding that feeling and it wasn’t entirely wholesome either. It left Sehun with an itch beneath his skin and he knew it wasn’t a physical one – it was something far beneath the sensation of his skin.

Sehun huffed, tugging on the silken cuff of his long sleeve shirt, feeling on edge with how out in the open his scars on his right arm seemed. Jiya had never seen them but they seemed to be hidden well enough between the alternating sheer and opaque vertical stripe of the sleeves. The torso of the shirt was solid black silk and did well to hide that Sehun had scars marring the skin over his abdomen. 

He had easily approached the doors of the Mirage, flashing the VIP pass that Jiya has slipped into his coat pocket the last time he had been in the Mirage. 

Sehun had flashed a smile at the host in the lobby as she took care of his coat. He realised it might have been a mistake because she had walked around from her little booth, daring to brush up against him to push him against the booth wall while she shifted his collar until the first two buttons came undone to expose the mostly unmarked skin of his chest before she gave him a flirtatious smile as she pressed the club stamp just beneath his collarbone. 

The little orchid flower design began to glow under the dark lights of the club in a neon purple against his skin.

“Welcome to the Mirage. My name is Siobhan, handsome…” 

_Oh, she was good…_ too bad, he wasn’t interested. She was far too assertive and her daring attitude bordered on trashy for Sehun’s taste. Either way, it wasn’t his cup of tea. 

“Thanks but this doesn’t buy you my name.” Sehun breathed a laugh, reaching out for the stamp in her hands and stamped the inside of his left wrist before handing back the stamp to Siobhan, “I guess I’ll just be Handsome to you for the rest of the night…” He smirked lopsidedly as he slipped away from Siobhan.

Sehun disappeared into the crowd, adjusting to the heavy red and purple hues of the club lighting as he made his way to the bar. 

It wasn’t long before he was met with a wall of man. He had the sudden urge to kick him but he reminded himself that not every big guy was like the King Kong obstacle back at the Emperor’s Sons HQ. 

“Yes?” Sehun asked. 

“Sir, I need you to come with me.” 

“Who are you and where exactly do you intend to escort me?” 

“Trent Summers. My boss has asked me to fetch you.” 

“You mean Tae?” Sehun raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes.” 

“No thanks. I’m here to drink.” Sehun huffed and brushed past Trent, finally making contact with the bar. 

“Vodka and sprite, please.” Sehun ordered as he flagged down a bartender. 

He waited, watching all four bartenders tend to everyone else’s orders but him. He huffed and turned his attention away, scanning the busy dancefloor. He spotted Trent shuffling over in a particular direction, trying to cut through the crowd with his big figure. He was headed for the new VIP area. The Mirage had changed in a lot of ways but at the same time, things stayed the same. 

It was then someone set down a glass down beside his elbow that he had been leaning on to get his attention – the ice rattled against the glass noisily. 

“Two rum and raspberry’s just as you ordered!” The voice declared triumphantly. 

He smirked, recognising the voice before his gaze cut from the crowd to the drink set beside his elbow. He then lolled his head to look over his shoulder to see Jiya standing behind the bar with another ale mug in hand filled with red liquid. 

“It’s too early to rum it up like that, Jiya. Are you really trying to get me drunk?” He grinned, still indulging in the lopsided angle that made the tendons in his neck strain attractively as he leaned back, shortening the space between them. 

“Maybe…” She leaned over the bar, closing the space to speak into his ear.

“You need to try harder than that…” Sehun grinned. 

“I’ve got all night to wait on you.” She hummed; unaware of the way her voice left traitorous heat shooting through his veins and coiling low and tight in his gut. 

Sehun was so sure that he wasn’t above climbing over the bar to get closer to her. To taste her. She looked utterly adorable in her short bodycon dress and thigh high boots – its tan colour just two shades darker than her skin tone. The thin horizontal stripes of the dress made it hard to not focus on the shape of her figure as she leaned over the bar. He wanted to see more of her.

The odd thing that caught his eye was the white wrist band that clearly had been pulled up her arm, stretched near her elbow.

But he wasn’t an animal so he settled for inhaling the foreign scent of sandalwood that clung to her. He reached out and tucked her wild curls behind her ear before he angled his head to graze her exposed ear with his lips. 

“I need more than a personal bartender for the night. Think we can move to a quieter place?” He asked suggestively, knowing he made the question doubly loaded for her with not just a job offer but also a heavy flirt. 

She laughed softly and he can’t hear her even with being so close but he sees the way her lips stretch in amusement. But before she can reply to him, he’s pulled away from the bar and Sehun turns to face the intruder of the moment with the full intent to annihilate. 

He almost laughed outright when he came face to face with a livid looking Tae. 

He was dressed in an outfit Princess would never wear – a silk blue shirt that paired with a blue black pair of fitting pants and most of his blonde hair pushed off his face in a wild tease. It felt like a sick joke – that Lee Min was dressed like a mafia pimp but it wasn’t Min. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing with my employee?” Tae snarled, “Aren’t you supposed to be in the basements of the Manor?” 

Sehun grinned, “Not really. I got out for good behaviour and I believe since this lovely lady is off duty; she isn’t your employee as of tonight despite being in your establishment which leaves her to be an ordinary patron who has offered to be my wing woman.” 

“Tae…” Jiya looked a little concerned. 

Tae ignored Jiya, settling for getting into Sehun’s space, crowding him to intimidate him, “Fuck. Off. From. My. Club.” He hissed. 

“I don’t think so, Tae.” Sehun raised both of his eyebrows feeling awfully content with how he had been irking Tae, “I have no ill intent. I’m just here to drink.” He reached over to the drink in Jiya’s hand to sip languidly, making a show of it to Tae who grew angrier. 

“I don’t think they beat you hard enough.” Tae huffed. 

“On the contrary, they beat me stupid hard. I’m only drinking to ease the pain.” Sehun laughed softly. 

Tae clucked his tongue before he threw a sharp look at Jiya, “Drown him in liquor until he doesn’t even know his name then get Trent to throw him out and I’ll pay you triple for the night for the trouble. I’d do it myself but I have to deal with Siobhan.” 

“Oh? Your hostess? You should teach her a thing or two about personal boundaries and not to pounce on your guests.” Sehun rolled his eyes.

Tae looked murderous, “If your prudish ways aren’t open to the way I operate the Mirage, you’re welcome to leave.” He spat his eyes before turning his direction towards the entrance lobby of the Mirage. 

Sehun sighed softly before he turned his attention back to Jiya. She looked a little nervous, biting down on her full lower lip as she stared at him. 

“I think I’d like that rum bottle and hold the raspberry.” He grinned sheepishly at her. 

“No,” She breathed out and turned away from him.

“Jiya, wait!” 

“Sorry, I guess my shift is over now. Keep this one too.” She pushed her own drink towards him and exited from behind the bar and disappeared into the crowd. 

“Fuck.” Sehun murmured, picking up the first ale glass of the red cocktail. He knocked back the drink in one length drain until the cherry bumped his upper lip. He tipped his head back a bit to get the cherry. He bit down, savouring the sticky sweetness that filled his mouth. 

Just one more drink and then he can head back to his apartment in the Undercity and worry about how he fucked up the most integral part of his plan for the following night. He had the burn of alcohol spreading warmth across his chest in a good way but it was doing little for his mood.

He had gotten three quarter through Jiya’s untouched mug when the mug was pulled out of his hand. 

He whipped around, thinking it was Siobhan but he came to face Jiya’s wild curls but she stepped into his space, backing him up against the bar. 

“You really have a way with fucking with our evening plans, Oh Sehun.” 

“Does that mean you’re not my bartender tonight?” 

“My boss is possessive of his favoured employees. He’s currently comforting a rather distraught Siobhan.” Jiya rolled her eyes at the dramatic statement. 

Sehun snorted, kind of enjoying the flip in power play between them, “What of you, Jiya? Have you come to comfort me? I’m awfully lonely with just these drinks…”

“I will do no such thing.” She reached over and polished off what was left of the drink, stealing the cherry from the drink easily, licking the last of the sticky syrupy from her lips before she stood on the tips of her toes, despite the heels of her boots and pulled Sehun by his silken collar to close their distance.

“You’re breaking code and you’re putting us at risk. Before you ruin our cover any further, take this and make use of it to stay out of trouble. Now get going!” She used her right hand to slide down his torso from his collar to his hip before tucking something into his pocket before she withdrew from his altogether and left him. 


	13. 1 2.		B E D R O O M    W A R F A R E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun strikes a dirty deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo I'm here with the agenda to push another ship of my story.

1 2. B E D R O O M W A R F A R E 

Sehun found himself clinging to the shadows of the dark hallway of the Mirage before he pulled out the little item that Jiya had slipped him. It was a slim key card that reflected the new Mirage logo – it was a coin of paradise with another orchid etched into the coin design – a muted shimmering gold and heavy with intricate lines to cage the fancy bold but twirling scrawl of the _‘M’_ before the smaller lettering of_ ‘Painting 7’_ on the stiff black plastic.

Sehun pocketed it, knowing his next destination was Jiya’s room in the Gallery. Sehun knew the way to get to room without being seen – like he had done before many times but it left him a little surprised and curious as Jiya had put a stop to it since the last time he was in her room for the sake of business conduct. 

He was already in uncharted territory with Jiya for the night – she had been playing to her advantage by using their blurred lines which he hadn’t expected of her. Maybe there were sides of Jiya he had sorely underestimated due to her strict boundaries… or maybe he just pushed her into a corner and she’s just using desperate measures. 

Either way… that was kind of what he was at the Mirage for – he needed to know how far he could push her.

He sighed at how overdone the renovation of the club was – all the doors of the Gallery has been lined with what was meant to express painting frames. The edges of the doorframes were lined heavily with gaudy trims as the frames.

He walked, passing each black door until he found the golden seven tacked onto the black canvas. 

He keyed himself into the room, not bothering to switch on the lights. The room was already dimly illuminated with the neon lights of the HUB that was pouring in through the only window in the bedroom. He plopped down onto the new grey sofa in the room. 

Jiya’s room seemed to have been revamped in the process of doing the club up again. He inspected the room in all its changes and noted a few things that didn’t seem quite right with Jiya’s room. He knew he had a lengthy wait ahead of him, if Jiya was both angry with him and caught up with Tae’s mood before she’d actually be able to slip back to her room without raising suspicion. 

Sehun would have nap on her sofa but Tae’s words had been grating at him, it got under his skin in a way that brought out those irrational alpha like instincts in him. 

Tae had called Jiya his employee – but just exactly how close was Jiya to Tae in terms of the hierarchy of his system if he was close to blowing a fuse over being close to Jiya? It rubbed Sehun the wrong way when he realised that Jiya was too close within Tae’s range of control. He wanted to pull her further away even if it seemed like a clever way to infiltrate and investigate Tae. 

_No. You don’t know shit. You can’t expose her to danger like that. She may know nothing about what Tae was doing in the Lee Manor. _

He got up and walked over to her window, pushing it open as he slumped into the sill, perching to smoke. He had tilted his head down to press his cigarette to his lips when he noticed the car parked outside below Jiya’s room – that was Min’s Charger! 

Kai wasn’t joking about the scare that came with such a discovery. _What else had he taken from Min? Did he take Min? Was Min really kidnapped and the whole venture to the slavers a waste already before it had begun? _

Sehun shook himself, smoking a little faster and heavily that his normal pace, realising he was getting ahead of himself and being too rash to dismiss any possible avenue to find Min. 

He had been so deep in thought that he hadn’t being paying attention to the way the door clicked open and Jiya stepped in with a bottle in hand. 

“Don’t smoke in my room – you’re going to make people think I’m developing a habit. Besides that’s going to kill you.” She clucked her tongue at him. 

Sehun snorted, staring out at the busy HUB surroundings before he turned back to find Jiya approaching him. He outs the cigarette on the outer sill before she was in arm’s length of him.

“What’s so funny?” 

“It’s an inside joke.” 

“Well, that’s hardly fair.” She pouted, setting the bottle of rum down on the window sill beside Sehun’s thigh. 

“Hardly fair is pinning someone to the bar to slip them an access key. Hardly fair is also trying to always get me drunk, Jiya…” 

Jiya rolled her eyes, “Well, did you have a better plan? You’ve already ticked off Tae to a royal level and my boss doesn’t handle his bad emotions well. Can you imagine what it was like considering he was in a foul mood before you got here tonight? He’s been giving off this murderous aura all evening.” She huffed. 

“I’m flattered that I could pull such a reaction from Tae.” Sehun grinned, knocking back a hearty swig before he set the bottle down on the sill beside him.

“Why did you even do that?” Jiya made a face, wrinkling her features in annoyance. 

“Tae and I know each other for reasons that we shouldn’t so he doesn’t get along with me. Plus he’s mad that I wear blonde better than him.” Sehun grinned. 

Jiya stepped towards Sehun and reached up for the tufts of his bleached hair, “Why did you change your hair colour? It’s almost strange seeing you like this.” 

“Do I need to change it just for you?” Sehun finds himself leaning into her touch as her fingers tangle in his hair.

“Sure. I’d like to see a lovely shade of purple.” Jiya teased, but squeaked when Sehun grabbed her wrist.

“Come closer, Jiya.” Sehun murmured, staring at Jiya with a shadowed expression as his eyes hooded over and the mess of his wild blonde hair taking on every shade of neon lights as it fell chaotically on him. His grip on her wrist wasn’t desperate like Tae’s. She could still pull away and step back but she took the step forward to stand between his spread legs.

“I thought we stopped meetings in your room because of the last time…” He asked softly. 

“Well…” She averted his gaze, biting down on her lip, hoping to tamp down on the phantom feeling that was attached to what Sehun was referring to, “I assumed you were asking for other reasons compared to that time. This is a favour, isn’t it?” 

Sehun’s gaze dropped to her lips for a moment before looking out the window, dragging heavily on his cigarette.

“You’re right about that. I need your help, Jiya. I need you to work another job for me.” 

“And this job request required this much secrecy?” 

“Hmmm…” He hummed as he stubbed the butt of his cigarette.

They fell into silence as Jiya waited on him to elaborate. But he remained silent, even when he could feel her gaze on him. Jiya had spotted the neon orchid flower stamp mark glowing faintly on Sehun’s chest and she wanted to pick on it. She wanted to ask about what happened with Siobhan. Jiya had then tried to rein in her jealousy. It was ridiculous – why was she so concerned? 

It was out of character for her to be so attached considering that Sehun and she had only worked together over a handful of times that spanned over three months. She had always strictly arranged to meet Sehun in the Mirage which involved him coming up to her room for her to pass on documents or USB drives and while it was clear as day that they hit it off pretty well as far as complimenting each other professionally, it was obvious that Sehun seemed a little interested beyond their professionalism. 

But Jiya didn’t like mixing business with personal interest. No matter how unavoidable it seemed when around Sehun. He was fatally charismatic when he wanted to be and his wicked mouth would keep her on her toes to evenly match his retorts. 

And yet, Jiya felt like she fucked up.

> _It was a shit week. The old man had her on a tight leash because Eve-ie had been on her ass about everything – implying that Jiya had betrayed Ji Household and because of the old man’s paranoia, Jiya couldn’t afford fuck ups. _
> 
> _The last thing she needed was Sehun wanting an information update. _
> 
> _She tried to push back for time, ignoring his calls and messages. That was until she headed back to her room to fetch her spare set of lace gloves. Eve-ie thought it was funny to cut them into slashes – she had only taken them off to fetch new cases of drinks from the stock room. When she got back and put them on, she noticed how only the fingers had been spared. _
> 
> _She had nearly jumped out of her skin when she found Sehun lounging on her bed, on his back and in her pillows with his one arm tucked behind his head to cushion it while he smoked endless curling wisps into the air._
> 
> _“What the fuck are you doing?” _
> 
> _“I could ask the same, Jiya. Why is our business arrangement falling apart? Is there something you’re not telling me?” _
> 
> _“No… fuck. I got your shit but I couldn’t risk doing outside business this week. I needed a cooldown or else I’d get caught. I could get caught right now.” She huffed, binning the ruined gloves._
> 
> _“Problems?” _
> 
> _“My loyalties are being questioned…” Jiya shared vaguely. _
> 
> _She sighed, heading over to her jewellery box and flipped the lid, pulling out a USB on a key ring._
> 
> _Sehun had asked her to lift some documents from an arms dealer who like frequenting the Mirage. He was trying to find out who was the dealer’s client and it turned out to be some foreign investor who was dealing a rich businessman who was based in the Undercity. _
> 
> _It was an easy steal – she laced the drink with a laxative, buying her more than enough time to send the businessman running for the bathroom before she stuck in the pen drive to copy everything from his laptop which was set up in the VIP Booth he had booked out. _
> 
> _She just had to hand them over to Sehun._
> 
> _“My pen drive almost crashed with the amount of files he had bugged.” She raised an eyebrow as Sehun propped himself up on his one elbow._
> 
> _Jiya tossed it at him which Sehun caught easily with a lazy catch. _
> 
> _“Good girl, Jiya. I was almost afraid that you had failed in your assignment.” _
> 
> _She clucked her tongue at him to which he snickered in response. _
> 
> _“Am I pushing your buttons?” _
> 
> _“You’re insulting my capability… I’m going to increase my cost for these jobs.”_
> 
> _“Maybe this is the last of these jobs…” Sehun’s sharp gaze cut to her with a knowing look. He knows Jiya isn’t stupid and she’s able to read between the lines. Never had she imagined that Sehun would stump her speechless. _
> 
> _That was when they were disturbed._
> 
> _“Jiya! Are you in here?” Eve-ie’s sharp and shrill voice pierced the quiet of the room._
> 
> _Jiya whirled around to lock the door and turned back to get Sehun off his ass._
> 
> _“Fuck! You’ve got to hide!” She swore as she snapped at Sehun in a whisper. _
> 
> _Sehun was considering bolting through her window but he hadn’t finished business with her._
> 
> _“We’re not done, Jiya.” He got to his feet and threw his cigarette butt out the window in a flash._
> 
> _“Fuck it!” Jiya swore again, grabbing Sehun by the front of his black dress shirt and shoved him into her wardrobe. She saw the doorknob twisting before she stepped in and secured it from within. She sucked in a breath when Eve-ie burst through the door. Jiya pressed up against the door of her wardrobe, watching Eve-ie from between the gaps in the slats of the wardrobe door. _
> 
> _“Where is this bitch?” She muttered under her breath. _
> 
> _Jiya’s mouth downturned in disgust but nearly yelped when a hand settled under her shoulder. _
> 
> _Maybe she would have had Sehun’s other hand not clamped over her mouth. _
> 
> _“So that’s why you needed the cooldown?” Sehun’s warm tone filled her right ear and Jiya nodded. Sehun’s hand fell away and she turned around to face him but stiffened, realising she had boxed the poor man in with his height. He had craned his neck to the side to not hit the top of his head on the overhead shelf. He gave her a questioning look and Jiya pouted, offering an apologetic shrug._
> 
> _Jiya leaned into Sehun, “Sorry for this.” _
> 
> _“Nah, I actually anticipated being stuck in wardrobe with a cute Loli.” Sehun teased back, his soothing voice in her ear. _
> 
> _“Shut up or she’ll hear us.” Jiya shushed him as she swatted at his chest. _
> 
> _“She can’t hear us over her stomping in those plastic heels. Anyway why is she rummaging through your stuff?” Sehun stole a look, Jiya following where his gaze landed on Eve-ie ruffling through the jewellery box that Jiya had just emptied. _
> 
> _“She thinks I’ve betrayed the old man and this household and that I’m going to have the old man done in.” _
> 
> _“She doesn’t strike me as a loyal type.” _
> 
> _“She’s loyal to her own cause.” Jiya tsk’d softly which made Sehun stifle a laugh against her ear. The throaty sound was making her tummy flip. _
> 
> _“What is her cause?” _
> 
> _“Sleeping with my partner.” _
> 
> _Sehun stiffened at the word partner and for some reason Jiya couldn’t shut up and had reassured him. _
> 
> _“She thinks I’ve been sleeping with him all this time instead of her so she wants to take a knock at my credibility and I can’t let her fuck that up or else I can’t do extra jobs. If I can’t do the extra jobs I’ll be broke and then I’ll have to dance at this fucking club.” Jiya huffed into Sehun’s shoulder. _
> 
> _Sehun snorted, “Clearly she doesn’t know you.” _
> 
> _Jiya pulled back to look at Sehun, almost wanting to taunt him and ask him ‘what would he know’._
> 
> _ She saw the boyish grin he had on his face. It didn’t suit how soft he seemed with the hard shafts of neon lights on him, and Jiya couldn’t shut her mouth._
> 
> _“And you know me?” _
> 
> _“Just enough to know you wouldn’t mix business with pleasure.” Sehun answered confidently. _
> 
> _At this point Eve-ie made a frustrated noise. _
> 
> _“Nothing! She’s got to be hiding some shit somewhere.” Eve-ie muttered before running a hand through her hair and left Jiya’s room with a huff, slamming the door shut. _
> 
> _Sehun leaned into Jiya’s space, caging her against the wall of her wardrobe, cushioning her against all her clothes that were bunched behind her._
> 
> _“Sehun –“ She tried to question. _
> 
> _“Shh… We’ll get caught.” He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear. Sehun relished in the way she shuddered._
> 
> _“We’re not hiding anymore.” Jiya frowned, the waver in her voice betraying her firm stance. _
> 
> _“Mhh… I just glad this job is over because this is my last job for you. Do you know what that means for us, Jiya?” He smirked, pleased with her full bodied shiver. _
> 
> _Jiya’s breath hitched the moment realisation dawned on her._
> 
> _“You’re not dealing business anymore.” She said slowly._
> 
> _“Exactly.” Sehun breathed, pressing his mouth against hers with a light hum, relishing in how sweet and soft the kiss was. _
> 
> _“Mhm –“ Jiya’s noise of surprise was smothered by the kiss. Sehun was as blunt with his kisses as he is with his words. He only appeared to be overbearing and domineering when he enclosed in on her space but his kiss was straightforward and eager. His lips were soft against hers as he stole her breath. He had surged forward until Jiya had panted against his mouth. _
> 
> _He let her breathe, because really, it’s hot in the small enclosed space but he rolled her lower lip between his teeth, teasing her with a sharp nibble before his teeth sunk in with dizzying pressure that leave Jiya hissing in delicious pleasure. _
> 
> _But Sehun indulged again, tilting his head to slant his mouth over Jiya’s once more, enjoying the way he could bruise Jiya’s mouth against his own until he pulled back, his thumb rubbing at her puffy lower lip._
> 
> _“Please…” She breathed, her eyelids fluttering open until she was looking at him through half lidded eyes._
> 
> _“Please what, Jiya?” He whispered the question softly while cupping his hand against the side of her neck to cradling her jaw in his palm while his long fingers brushed against the sensitive points on her neck, making her shudder once more as she leaned into his palm._
> 
> _“Please… just one more time. Kiss me just once more.” _
> 
> _“Just once more…” He repeated softly, cupping her entire face in both his palms until she shut her eyes and nodded._
> 
> _Sehun barely registered those words fully but his body had already moved, moulding his mouth to hers deftly while tangling his fingers in her curls as he tasted her cherry lip balm and the softness of her mouth. _
> 
> _She didn’t seem to mind the taste of smoke and the bite of rum on his lips as she wound her hands around his neck. _
> 
> _Sehun’s hands found themselves around her waist, pulling her flush against him._
> 
> _“Sehun…” _
> 
> _He groaned softly, gripping at her waist a little tighter, listening to her react to him as his hands ran along the dip of her spine – thank fuck for the backless cut in her Loli uniform. His hands traced over the bare skin until she was shivering against him. _
> 
> _“Anything goes for the last time as a kiss, right?” He had the nerve to laugh under his breath until Jiya’s breath hitched and she stiffened in his arms._
> 
> _“Relax,” He skimmed along the edges of uniform while he left soft kisses on the underside of her jaw until he hooked into the edge of the scooped neckline at her shoulders, pulling them off her shoulders to fall down her arms, before he pressed kisses against the round of her right shoulder. Jiya squeaked when his teeth scrapped over her collarbone, easily coaxing the noise as she pressed her face against his shoulder, to hide her flaming face. _
> 
> _“I think I could get used to that.” He stroked down her spine, “Look at me, Jiya.”_
> 
> _Jiya’s shifts, lifting her head as her vision adjusts in the darkness; the blurriness fades into focusing on Sehun’s pink mouth rounding with his words before the small thin lips stretch into a smirk as his fingers reached for the ribbon securing the lace high neck collar of her dress. His slim long fingers twirling the dark silk ribbon around his index finger before he pulled it free by crooking his index finger slowly, exposing her neck to him as the collar falls open. _
> 
> _“You’re really making this count…“ Jiya tried to be mouthy with him despite being drunk on their kiss. _
> 
> _He snickered under his breath, “Naturally…” he tipped her head back by his gentle grip on her chin until she was resting her head against the fabric beneath her. She stared at him with bright eyes that were hooded over. _
> 
> _“Greedy bastard…” She tries to hiss at him but it jumbles and cuts off in her gasp when Sehun sealed his mouth over her pulse point in a hot open mouthed kiss._
> 
> _“Haa –“ She melted against him as her hands came around him, gripping tightly as she fisted at the material over his back. She clung to him, her body taut with the sudden onslaught on her senses when he sucked over the sensitive point. _
> 
> _He removed his mouth with a deliberate but light smack sound that made her let out a silent breath that she had been holding onto with his mouth on her skin. Sehun found it adorable, purposely nosing against her jawline and brushing his lips teasingly against her neck. _
> 
> _She was driving him crazy with the tiny panted breaths she was trying to keep under control but Sehun’s teeth sunk into her neck until Jiya mewls. _
> 
> _Jiya barely hangs onto her pride as Sehun has her practically purring in contentment when his tongue runs over the hot abused skin to soothe it. _
> 
> _“Just once more, Jiya…” He taunts her with her own words as they tangle their fingers together before kissing her again._

Jiya has tried to lie to herself, saying even months later she can’t remember kissing Sehun under the constant excuse of how hot and heady she felt because of standing in a tight wardrobe. Jiya also doesn’t want to acknowledge the way she could still feel the phantoms of his burning touch and firm kisses. 

In fact, she was happy about chanting_ ‘Out of sight, Out of Mind’_ whenever the little memory reared its ugly head. But that entire plan went out the window. 

Oh Sehun had practically turned her night upside down, arriving at the Mirage for the night. Jiya had been planning to mess around behind the bar with Carter to entertain guests as they served drinks for the night. The game plan was to waste away the few hours for extra cash and bump Carter for lethal mixes of her special drink before she quit the night and headed back to her apartment to sleep off a few drinks. 

Never did she expect to see Sehun again. 

“Sehun…” Jiya prompted him, feeling a little more than impatient. 

This was the difficult part for Jiya, she wasn’t sure how long she could endure a back and forth parry with Sehun. Not when she could easily crumble under his touch.

His lips quirked with one upturned corner as he reached out and brushed the back of his knuckles over the curve of her cheek – her breath hitched, making her stutter the breath at the zing from his touch.

She catches his wrist and takes a step back but Sehun dashed forward, his hand cupping the back of her head before Jiya bumped her head against the wall on opposite end of the window. 

“What –“ Jiya tried to ask but Sehun’s touch was brushing her hair away from her face before the same hand trailed down to stop under her chin. He lifted her head a little to stare down at her. Her wild curls framing her face as the hues of purple and red neon lighting fell over her face. Sehun made out the clear confusion in her wide eyes and how worry easily wove its way into her features as she took a deep breath.

She had never felt so out of her depth with a man and Oh Sehun was practically unravelling her on the spot. 

“Does this make you uncomfortable?” He asked softly. 

That was question that couldn’t be answered in a heartbeat. 

“Are you trying to make me uncomfortable?” Jiya mumbled, daring eye contact with him as she tried to be feisty. 

“Not in the slightest.” His thumb brushed against her lower lip, parting her lips purposely. 

“Then, no… this doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable.” She answered after pondering on how to answer him. 

“Good…” He murmured before his free arm draped around her waist loosely, “Because I want to kiss you again.” 

“You can’t ask both of me. Pick. Do you want me to do the job or do you want to kiss me?” Jiya huffed.

Sehun dipped his head, tilting a little, almost offering her an escape window before he pressed his lips to Jiya’s gently. 

She allowed it despite knowing better, but she wants it. Her eyes fluttering to a close as she sighed into the feather light brushes of Sehun’s kisses against her mouth. It was making her feel drunk, tasting the familiar bite of rum and the new sticky sweetness of raspberry on his pink mouth while Sehun leaves tingling trails behind with his touch. 

Each press of his lips grew more intent driven, a harder press, a ragged breath to beg, a sharper nip to ask. It was moment before he drew back a little; just enough for his lips to brush against hers, his heated breath puffing over her lips while his forehead touched hers with far more intimate intent than it should have offered.

“I need you to do the job. But…” He pauses, playfully catching her upper lip between his own plush ones, “this… I want this.” He breathed those words roughly against her mouth before kissing her again.

Sehun had melded their bodies together as he pressed her up against the wall and they dissolved into a messy and eager kiss. He was impatient and far too uninhibited with indulging the both of them to think about consequences. He didn’t give Jiya half an inch to grasp control over him because he was all over her, invading her every sense. His mouth was working sin against hers and his hands were so greedy, reaching everywhere to explore and yet they didn’t linger nowhere near enough for her to relish. Every new touch sent little jolts of heat and electricity as his hands traced over her curves, squeezing and memorising while he makes her hazy on his scent and taste. 

She stiffened against him when slipped one thick thigh between her slim ones. It drew out a small squeal from Jiya as her thighs snapped tightly over his thigh. He drew back with a smirk playing on his lips. 

His dark eyes lock with hers as he leaned downward a little to wrap a strong and large hand over her plush thigh, squeezing tentatively before he runs it up her thigh. She quivers a little but shows no inclination to stop him, even as he kneads her thigh in his grasp once more, almost giving her yet the window to stop him but Jiya doesn’t. She lets him easily hitch her thigh against his hip while he lined up flush against her shuddering form. 

Jiya gasped, suddenly too hyperaware of the hard lines of Sehun’s body against her own. He tilted her head up to him by grasping at her chin lightly; giving her one chance to escape but Jiya ignores it because she really doesn’t want to stop kissing him. She stares him down fiercely despite the tinge of pink on her cheeks and her breath stolen from her.

He dials up the challenge a notch as he turns their kiss heated and dirty with filthy flicks of his hot tongue, licking right into her welcoming mouth. Sehun’s chest rumbled against her own, making no effort to hide the satisfied groan slip from his throat, his hand sliding up the thigh at his hip until he anchored his tight grip at her waist.

Jiya swore she felt her head spin with the way Sehun coaxed her through his kiss, teasing her and daring her to tangle with him. His tongue skimmed wickedly to the roof of her mouth as he reached for her other leg to wrap around his waist, almost remembering to knead and skim that thigh like he had done with the other. 

“Hold onto me.” He murmured against her mouth.

Sehun had pinned them together at the hips, lifting her against the wall, enjoying how Jiya had one arm hooked around his neck and the other tightly fisting at the material of his shirt at his shoulder. He hummed when her fingers were scratching at the short hair at his nape. 

He broke away from their kiss before his hot mouth trailed down the side of her neck and his hands sbrushing over the rounds of her chest before they skated down her torso. Jiya keens against his mouth before his hands wander back up, cupping over her curves to knead tenderly. She moaned soft and sweetly for him, calling his name under her breath while she arched against his chest. 

That was when Jiya’s eyes snapped open, breaking the haze of lust as she stopped dead still and stiff in his hold before she nudged at his chest to put space between them. 

Sehun pulled away from the spot where his mouth was working a red mark into her skin, making a show of wiping his mouth off with the back of his fingers all the while looking at her through his lashes, quietly asking her the meaning of them stopping with his burning eyes.

“Too much?” He asked; his tone as gentle as possible but his voice was edged with raw want – it didn’t match the gleam in his gaze. 

She flushed a dark shade of red, breaking eye contact with him to stare blankly out the window. Sehun watched her for another moment before Jiya managed a nod, not trusting her own voice before the tips of her fingers came up to touch her bruised lips. She needed to clear her mind for a second. Every cell in her being was practically vibrating, still feeling radioactive against Sehun’s ministrations.

“Sorry?” He says it like a question instead of offering an actual apology because he knows neither of them regrets that but he wants to gauge her reaction. Mistakes happen just once but they were clearly indulging at this point and neither could deny it and he needed to know if she would try lying to him.

“You’re only supposed to apologise if you’re sincere about it.” Jiya snapped, “Well… I assume that wasn’t just for kicks.” She turned back to look at him but Jiya freezes upon locking eyes with Sehun. 

He had been watching her so intensely all this time. 

“It wasn’t.” He confirmed; his tone still rough and his gaze clouded with desire.

“Then… what else was that for?” 

Sehun breathed a laugh, “I like how you use the word ‘else’…”

Jiya erred at that point, feeling like she lost all grasp on how to make a snappish remark and get some kind of elaboration from Sehun. Jiya fought the urge to cringe as she averted her gaze from him, trying to stop how hot her face felt, “This might have been a bad idea.”

“Your dress neckline is a bad idea.” Sehun huffed, annoyed with the high crew neckline that didn’t give him much room to mark her skin, “The Loli collar was much more accommodating.” 

“Sehun, I’m serious.” Jiya mumbled. 

“At which moment were you under the assumption that I wasn’t serious?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Maybe you should put me down so we can discuss business from a different angle.” Jiya frowned but Sehun’s smirk merely grows. 

“I’m glad you suggested that.” He gripped onto her thighs with both hands, pulling her away from the wall. Jiya makes a startled sound before she clings to his shoulders for dear life. 

“Oh Sehun, you are violating every single condition regarding how you and I deal business. The moment you put me down, you’re leaving. I don’t even want to listen to what you have to offer no matter how good the job!” She rants at him with a vexed expression on her face, not noticing that Sehun had reached the foot of her bed and she only stopped her rant when he wound one arm around her waist, with his arm supporting her back.

“I’m putting you down now.” He grinned impishly while setting her down, with one knee dipping into her mattress. 

“This is not what I meant.” Jiya gritted her teeth at Sehun as he was clearly getting off on the idea of toying with her. He chuckled softly, climbing over and watching her tough girl attitude wither with a sinful smirk on his kiss swollen lips. 

“What the fuck do you actual think you’re trying, Sehun.” Jiya hissed at him, staring up into amused eyes. He watches Jiya prop herself up on one elbow to back away, towards her pillows, but Sehun grips her hip to keep her in place as he looms over.

“You are the one who wanted to discuss business from a different angle, isn’t that right, Jiya? Somehow, I feel this is a good start point for us. I can try every type of angle I know of until I find what suits you like this…” He bites down on his lip, unbuttoning the first three buttons with his free hand. 

“Very funny, Sehun, is that the best you could come up with?” Jiya huffed at him, trying to steer the situation in her favour. She knows she’s edging into hot water territory so she staring unabashedly at the exposed silver of skin while trying very slowly and inconspicuously to reach upward for the knife under her pillow. 

And yet Sehun’s hand was already on her outreached wrist.

She doesn’t understand because she had his attention, had his focus away from her reaching for her weapon. She looks up above her head to Sehun’s hand wrapped around her wrist and she tries to tug but he has no give in his firm grip – she noted that he wasn’t hurting her either. 

“Jiya, I’m disappointed…” He gave her mocking expression, “After all I was willing to cater to you…”

She looked back to Sehun and bites down on her lip, unsure of what to do. She always made sure not to get caught and now she was and she had no idea of how to improvise especially with her weapon on the verge of being discovered or how to escape.

She jerked her hand from his hold and arched up before he clamped down on the same arm again, his firm grip around her forearm.

“Now whether you’re reaching for a knife or a gun, you really don’t want to do that, babe.” 

“How do you know…” She paled. 

“I hardly think intel gathering is a very safe avenue for you. You’re put into situations unfavourable to yourself and you would have had to learn how to turn the tide for yourself so you don’t die. _Or worse…_ You’re remarkably calm, if not incredibly adorable with you bravado to disguise your discomfort but you hid that last resort in a painfully obvious place.” The hand gripping Jiya’s arm splayed to run deft fingers up her upturned inner wrist and into her palm, making her squirm a little before his fingers brush over her own, enclosing around the hilt of the blade hidden under the pillow. 

“I was impressed and somewhat proud when I found your thighs bare of any weapons.” He used a teasing tone when he whispered into her ear, given their positions.

“That’s what you were checking for?” She wanted to splutter but she clucked her tongue in annoyance, her cheeks burning with her embarrassment.

“Well, yes and no.” He pulled out the small knife with a small smile while he sits up to make himself comfortable by swinging his other leg onto the bed to straddle across Jiya without touching her. 

“This is cute. Compact for someone like you with phantom-like traits, lightweight to conceal and sharp enough to buy you time when you’re in trouble. But then what do you do when you can’t buy yourself time, Jiya?” He flipped the carbon fibre grip over in his hold twice before handing it to Jiya.

“What the fuck? This was a test?” 

“Yes and no. This was partly to do with the job I’m about to offer you…” Sehun started, giving her an idea of what he was playing at.

“Sehun. What exactly do you think my skill set involves?” Jiya narrowed her gaze at him, her mind working a step behind him – still a little drunk on kissing Sehun but she has decided to use anger as the forefront of her emotions as he looked down on her.

He had no right to look both devious and delicious in his dishevelled appearance even as he was proposing such a trashy job. 

“Before you get offended in the way that came across, I’m still hiring you for intel gathering. You can help me reach where I can’t.” 

“Inside your pants?” She rolled her eyes. 

“Oh, you’re mad with me,” Sehun humoured her before he turned a little more serious, “How do you like parties?” 

“I work for the best club in the HUB right now, I think I like parties, Sehun.”

“Hmm… This party is different.” 

“How so?” She sat up, trying to tug the dress down that had bunched around her hips. Sehun’s eyes drift to where her hands were trying to demurely cover up the little frill of black lace that he could make out as she pulled her dress down. 

“Elysium is hosting this party?” 

She stared at him with widened eyes, “Are you fucking crazy? That’s the elite’s slave house in the HUB!” 

“Well informed, Jiya. But the job is legit. I need to infiltrate the Elysium slave club.” 

“Where do I fit into this plan?” 

“A honey trap… an elaborate kind too. I need someone – who isn’t me – to pretend to be an unregistered slave so that they can attach my programmed pen drive into their database while they’re being registered.” 

“If I’m to do that, what are you doing?” 

“Ironically, I’m the Honey. I have history with Lee Jaehwan –“ Sehun stopped when Jiya’s mouth dropped at the mention of Jaehwan’s name. 

“You’re fucking with the Slaver Kings. What the fuck are you even planning?” She was scandalised with how casual his reaction was.

“At least you know the dangers of the job already – that’s good. But I won’t let harm come to you – you aren’t in any danger with regards to the outline of the operation.” Sehun sighed. 

“Are you even listening to yourself? Do you understand how dangerous it is? They’ve just attached their brand to the Emperor’s Sons and no one survives once they piss off the Emperor’s Sons. It will be bad if I get caught. It will be worse if you get caught.” Jiya’s eyebrows furrowed with worry. 

“So you won’t take the job?” He asked with a slight smile. 

“I’m surprised you’re still considering this job. Who even hired you to do this if you’re so willing to go ahead with it?” 

“No one. This is a personal project. I’m looking for someone and I need to know that they haven’t been made a slave.”

“But you said this was a job. That means you were talking business.”

“I was talking money, Jiya. I know you won’t do a job unless you’re getting something out of it. Don’t worry – if you do agree, you will be paid.” 

“Sehun, at this point… I’m not even thinking about money. Do you know what you’re signing yourself up? Aren’t you afraid of getting hurt?” Jiya asked, grasping onto his arm to stop him from distracting himself with more alcohol. 

He laughed as Jiya pulled the bottle away from him. 

“Jiya… do you know how cute you are?” Sehun grinned.

“Are you mocking me, Sehun?” She frowned. 

“Not in the slightest. I’m thrilled at being able to use this project as a blatant and unashamed angle to break your policy by mixing business and pleasure but I’m not undermining you.”

“You’re still not convincing me on why I should help you on this job?” 

“Is money not enough?” He grinned, his smile as bright as his hair as the neon lights streaked across him.

“Not when my employer will be dead. Probably myself included. A stacked bank account will not mean much when we’re both dead.” Jiya sighed. 

“Do you have such little faith in me?” 

“I have little faith in your plan. Something as simple as a honey trap won’t work on guys like the Slaver Kings. Like you said you already have history and they’ll treat anyone in your company for the night as hostile – so the plan is already a bust.” 

“You won’t be the only one in my company. I’ve already persuaded a friend to join us to take the bait as the suspicious partner.” Sehun smiled at her for thinking so far ahead. 

“Even if you have a trap for the trap, I still don’t know if I can do it. I know you haven’t told me all the details yet but I don’t see a clean exit especially when entering puts so much attention onto you. This isn’t something easy that you’re asking of me.” Jiya bit down on her lower lip in worry as she furrowed her eyebrows.

“I’m going to make sure nothing happens to you. I know I’m asking for something outside your usual scope of work but I was hoping you’d like to work with me once more.”

“I don’t mind working with you… well, as long as we keep it clean but… this is messy on all levels.” 

“What? You find it hard to be pretty for one night at my side?” Sehun grinned. 

“I’m talking about the part where I have to sneak off to infiltrate their systems.” 

“If it could be done remotely, I wouldn’t even be risking you. I would be here tonight for one reason only…” He whispered, placing a playful kiss to her neck once more. He smiled faintly at the way Jiya’s eyes flutters close and lasts a moment too long before she shakes herself from the sensation. 

“So you need a pretty body to marionette for the night?” Jiya sighed. 

“Just a few hours. The risk is low. I promise. It’s just one pen drive.” 

“I’ll do it, but if I get caught, know that I’ll sell you out to save myself.” She spoke in a voice no higher than a whisper but her intent was crystal.

“Done.” Sehun agreed in a heartbeat. 

“And I want triple my rate, if the job goes off without a hitch.” Jiya demanded impishly. 

Sehun whistled low, “You’re usual rate is a steep price on its own but to triple it?”

“When do you need me?” 

“Tomorrow night.” 

“I’ve changed my mind – I want my money upfront.” Jiya huffed.

Sehun smirked, “And here I was hoping to stall payment... with something that seemed a little more enticing than money.” He snickered. 

“Not much excites me more than money, Sehun...” Jiya gave him a challenging look. 

“I’m offering you myself for the night, Jiya… _Don’t I excite you?”_ Sehun asked in a teasing lilt and it just wasn’t fair as Jiya bit down on her lip, feeling liquid heat pool in her gut from his tone alone. 

“No…” She lied breathlessly as he was nosing against her jawline, but he stopped for a moment, “Think about it, I’m stealing you away from this shitty club and I get to take you to the most expensive party of the year, dress up and all included.”

Jiya snorted softly, “What are you? A sugar daddy in the making? I get to order clothes and get spending money too?” 

“What a mouthy brat. Just may have to punish you, baby girl.” Sehun snickered as he closed the space by pressing his hips against Jiya’s. She gasped when Sehun’s hands were pulling her thighs apart further for him to cosy himself between them. He buried his head in the crook of her neck as he bit down, leaving little nips in his trail. Her fingers tangled in his hair until he had her arching upward because of his teasing kisses. 

“This is such a bad idea…” Jiya breathed, trying to catch her breath. 

“I’m almost offended.” Sehun huffed, his hands skimming the hem of her dress again. 

“Doing this sort of thing with you is confusing, Sehun.” Jiya admitted. 

“Stop overthinking it.” He mumbled, tracing his plush and small mouth against the line of her neck. 

“It’s the opposite actually. I haven’t given this much thought.” She gave a light laugh which cut off in a hitched sound when Sehun nipped hard on the skin in the hollow of her collarbones. 

“Keep it like that. We’re bound to ruin it the moment we spare it a second thought.” Sehun connected their mouths until he had her mewling against his kiss while he pinned her down into the sheets, their fingers tangling together and grasping tightly. 

_Sehun was right. Maybe it was better to think nothing of kissing your partner. Even on the night before something as dangerous as tackling Slaver Kings. _

_Maybe kissing Oh Sehun was more dangerous. _

“Jiya! You’re in here?” A feminine voice called out while banging on the door loudly, most likely to be heard over the loud music. 

The two tore apart and Jiya sat up, swearing. 

“Fuck…” She breathed, not really conscious of how Sehun had actually worked her dress up and over her hips, where he was gingerly tracing over the exposed black lace of her boylegs, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” She whispered.

She looked to Sehun, “Hide or leave.”

“You’re not serious.” 

“Uh. New development. I have a roommate.” 

“Jiya!” The voice called out again.

“Fuck. What do you want, Alice?!” Jiya yelled back, trying to fend off Sehun’s intrusive and meddlesome hands.

“I want my key card back, bitch.” Alice snapped. 

“You seriously just did not come up here mid shift for that shit so what in the ever loving fuck is so important?” 

There was silence on the other side of the door for a moment before Alice sighed.

“Tae is looking for you!” 

“Tae can go get fucked.” Jiya mumbled under her breath. 

“I like that attitude,” Sehun whispered into her ear, grazing the shell of her ear with his teeth. 

“Ah.” She jumped then shoved at Sehun as he snickered breathlessly, utterly pleased with her reaction until he noticed the white band pinking rapidly.

“Jiya, are you coming or what? Tae said I could get Trent if you ignored me.” Alice barked with a slight threat in her voice.

Jiya saw red, hauling herself off the bed and tugged down her dress on her way to the door before she ripped it open to face Alice. 

“Don’t fuck with me, Alice White. You don’t get to take your shitty mood on me. Now be smart and get back to your shift because mission accomplished – you delivered Tae’s message to me.” Jiya hissed. 

“Or what?” Alice narrowed her eyes at Jiya. 

“You may not have a room to sleep in when your shift ends.” Jiya’s voice was frigid.

“You don’t scare me, Jiya.”

“You’re right. I don’t. And that’s because I intend to have it that way.”

“You act as if that scares me…” Alice hissed. 

“Find another room tonight, Alice. Now run along and tell Tae I’ll see him in ten.” Jiya gave her a frosty response and Alice scoffed. Jiya doesn’t give Alice the opportunity for a last say as she slammed the door in Alice’s face but swore upon realising she used her injured arm, feeling the cut tug, the scab had definitely broken. 

“Jiya, are you hurt?” Sehun had already been approaching. 

Jiya noted how red the white band was and ducked her arm behind her back, “What? No?” She asked but she immediately reached for the white band as she ducked her arm further from Sehun’s hawk like gaze. 

“Fuck!” Jiya swore, edging her way to the bathroom to rip the band off and to bandage it. 

“Wait, don’t rip it off.” Sehun chased after her until he grabbed her wrist and reined her in, “Let me help.” 

Sehun went off in search of finding the first aid kit as Jiya pointed it out. 

“Your kit is looking pretty empty.” 

“My roommate is clumsy.” She snapped. 

“Given your earlier conversation with her and your reaction now, I take it you don’t like her.” Sehun cut the band away.

“Alice and I don’t agree for the reasons that we met so no, it’s not that I don’t like her.” Jiya hissed as Sehun cleaned the cut on her forearm. 

“What happened for you to get this?” 

“Clumsy roommate.” Jiya averted her eyes and lied. 

“This is an intended cut. It’s neat, clean and deliberate as it spans the width of your forearm and skims shy of stitches. But yeah, clumsy roommate.” Sehun snorted.

“Clumsy roommate.” Jiya reiterated forcefully. 

Sehun has one last question and he feels like laughing hysterically at the irony behind the question.

“One last thing, Jiya, do you have scars?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually have so much love for this ship coz it's all forbidden and restricted on both sides but they can't help but gravitate towards each other. It's. Cute. Despite being saturated in potential danger and angst.


	14. 1 3.		C H A R A D E

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI.
> 
> NOTE: This is the first half of a double update that I'm posting!! 😁

1 3. C H A R A D E 

Day: Saturday 

Objective: Infiltrating Elysium

It was late evening when Sehun checked into the lobby of Oasis Towers. He had been coolly toting a bag filled with new gear – high spec and easily confined tech to get through the night courtesy of Luhan’s week-long of sleepless nights – up to the ninth floor of the West Tower. 

The previous night has ended somewhat off kilter – Sehun had fixed Jiya’s cut but he couldn’t seem to fix the thickening tense atmosphere between them. He knew spending the night with Jiya was almost off the table completely but at that point he knew he had to leave. He had spent a little more time, giving her information on the Slaver Kings before leaving behind a key card for her to check out into the suite he and Kai had secured for the evening. It was serving as their station point and he had given her further instructions to head to the suite earlier than when he would arrive so that she could acquaint herself with Kim Kai for the sake of the party.

Or so he _thought_. 

That was the impression until he had shut the suite door behind him. 

“Go to hell, Kim Kai!” Jiya hissed, “I’m not wearing this!” She protested, her voice carrying from the open bedroom door where he assumed she was dressing up.

Sehun quirked an eyebrow, what the hell was even going on but then Kai came striding out through said door and spotted Sehun. He had glared at the blonde maknae.

“I’m glad that some of us are mostly dressed,” He gave a nod at Sehun’s smart black pants and black dress shirt he had on, the sleeves weren’t undone but accented with cufflinks and the buttons were popped until mid-sternum, “However she’s impossible. I don’t think she quite understands the idea of committing to a role.” Kai huffed, an exasperated look on his face. 

“She’s normally not impossible.” Sehun murmured, not fully understanding what caused the tiff.

“_She’s_ normally not paid to dress like this.” Jiya had appeared in the doorway, robed in a silk bedroom gown that grazed her knees as she stood her ground and folded her arms, hissing her words at Kai again. Sehun briefly stopped to drink in the sight of her softened curls and softer curves. He had trouble focusing between the shimmer coating her legs and the understated dusting of shiny makeup on her cheekbones. 

“Did you put him up to this?” Jiya snapped at Sehun.

“Nope I hardly imagined you’d be worked up over an outfit so how is this any different from your Loli dress?” Sehun questioned with a shrug. 

Jiya’s eyes narrowed at Sehun as if expecting him to back her up instead he taunted her with a teasing question that leaves her with gritted teeth, “That was my old uniform. I didn’t want to wear it nor do I need to wear it anymore.”

“Yes, Jiya, I’m well aware – it seems Jiya here has had a promotion at the Mirage.”

“Don’t be thrilled just because you can exploit me further. And you,” She whirled around to glare at Kai, “Find me something worth calling a dress before I decide to leave altogether,” Jiya spat before turning on her heel and marched back into the bedroom – ending on the grand note of slamming the door shut violently. 

“You didn’t mention she was a bigger brat than you are.” Kai folded his arms over his chest, his black sheer shirt straining against his muscles. 

“Let me talk to her.” 

“Talk only. She had a tough time trying to cover up that little bruise between her collarbones. Any ideas on how that got there?” Kai raised an eyebrow at Sehun. Sehun clucked his tongue and picked out the unmarked box from his bag, repressing a shudder as he thought about the contents before he pulled out a small velvet pouch from his pocket. 

“We had other things than this job to deal with,” Sehun rolled his eyes, “And it has been, well… _settled_. It’s strictly business between us so let me speak with her.” Sehun sighed, walking to the bedroom Jiya had disappeared into. 

“I’m stepping out for ten, Sehun. I’m going to get coffee.” A warning tone dipping into Kai’s smooth voice as he gave Sehun a look and the maknae can’t bring it upon him to look stony faced at Kai. Instead he nodded, waving Kai off as he stepped toward the main door of the suite. 

Sehun had then turned to the bedroom door and pushed down on the handle but it didn’t give. 

“Jiya…” Sehun started softly. 

“No.” Her muffled tone still gave away her foul mood.

“Talk to me. It’s just me here. Kai isn’t even here.”

“You think that makes a difference?” Jiya scoffed.

“We have a deal, Jiya.” Sehun reminded her rationality – he knows Jiya has a moral compass despite her dirty dealings in the underground business.

“You can keep your money. I want out.” 

“Jiya… you don’t mean that.” 

“Oh, you reckon?” She snapped. 

“Yes. You don’t really want out. Not when you know I’m counting on you. Not when I need you, Jiya.” Sehun urged her quietly, “Please unlock the door.” 

He waited, expecting her to rage at him over manipulating her and bribing her with more money but she was silent. That was when the lock clicked. 

Sehun pushed open the door to find Jiya, staring him dead on with a frown on her delicate features. 

“There you are.” He commented quietly, reaching out to cup one side of her face. 

She sighed softly, allowing Sehun’s touch to linger before she pulled away, opening the door wider for Sehun to enter. He dropped the box and pouch onto her vanity table before rounding back to her again. 

“This feels too close for my comfort, Sehun. I’ve already escaped Slavers once. I don’t think it would be considered wise of me to be poking my nose in this business again. Do you ever think about not provoking the Universe for like just once?” 

“Is this what your tantrum is all about?” 

“Well…” Jiya’s voice trailed off as Sehun tangled his right hand fingers with hers loosely.

“Do you really not like Kai?” 

“Yes and no.” 

“Tell me.” 

“He hasn’t said it but I know he thinks I’m not cut out for this job. He doesn’t trust me. And I don’t blame him. I’m not giving him much to go on.” Jiya shrugged.

“This isn’t even about the dress, is it?” 

“Yes and no.” Jiya replied. 

“Tell me.” He had a boyish smile playing on his lips.

“I don’t want to fuck this up.” Jiya stressed to him in quiet words. 

“You won’t.” Sehun assured her firmly. 

“How can you be sure?”

“I’m not. But I do know I will protect you. I’ll be right by your side the entire time. Even when I’m not.” He squeezed the fingers between his own lightly. 

“How are you going to do that?” Jiya frowned. 

“C’mon, I’ll explain it as you finish up dressing.” Sehun had walked over to her vanity table, handing her the box with her high heels in them – dainty things they were, nothing but pencil heels and suede pumps that fixed around the ankle with slim straps.

“Where is your dress?” Sehun asked, half curious because he could only make out the tangle of champagne coloured organza on the bed. 

Jiya straightened up after fixing her shoe straps around her ankles before walking over to the bed and pulled up the organza, “This is half of it.” 

“What of the other half?” Sehun asked, almost afraid that she had ruined it. 

“I’m wearing it.” She replied tartly. 

“I don’t see the problem?” 

“That’s the problem. You can’t see it.” Jiya snapped as she walked over to the bed, undoing the silk sash of her robe, removing the robe to expose her bare shoulders as the champagne coloured lace applique corset clung to her. It had been a one piece set that outline her hips nicely and covered her demurely enough to not expose anything but giving the imagination a lot to work with. It was enticing and alluring to Sehun, the contrast between her skin tone and the nude shade of material was inviting. There were tight bands of applique flowers on her biceps and the odd one for asymmetry and to cover up the plaster and cut that lay beneath it. 

“I’m still not seeing a problem.” Sehun responded, his Adam’s apple bobbing a little as he continued to rake his gaze over the tight design of the burlesque bustier and her bare legs until they stepped into her shoes. 

“You’re incorrigible. This is almost demeaning. I have no sense of decency in this outfit.” 

“I thought you liked lace.” Sehun bit down on his lip, hinting at the night before when he had his fingers brushing over the lacy underwear around her hips and he was so sure he had got palm full worthy grips on the curves of her ass.

“Shut up.” Jiya flushed a shade of red as she fixed the organza skirt around her waist, the waistline of the skirt had merely latched into place with the little hooks on the corset. Jiya swore upon discovering not just the first but the second apex slit in the organza. Her legs were left completely exposed despite wearing the skirt. 

“Why the fuck even put the skirt on then if it’s doing fuck all against how exposed I am?” She grumbled, fixing the last of the hooks in place.

“Men like to unwrap, love.” Sehun commented. 

“Self-serving fuckers.” Jiya snorted, watching Sehun pull out a thin chain from the pouch. He sat down on her vanity table bench and beckoned her over. It was pretty rose gold chain with a single teardrop gem of golden topaz.

“This is your tracker.” He held it up between his index fingers before he leaned closer to her legs to wrap it around her thigh, “The gem has the chip in it so I know where you are, even when you aren’t with me. No one knows about this, not even Kai so best keep this one a secret.” Sehun looked up, urging her with his dark gaze. She nodded but it was hard to concentrate with Sehun’s large hands brushing up her thigh. 

“I thought it was a rookie mistake to place it there.” Jiya tried to snap back. 

“It’s a mistake when it’s the sheath of your blade when you want to be discreet, though I would personally adore it.” Sehun murmured as he dropped his hands from her and retrieved the pouch. 

“This is your pen drive.” Sehun pulled out more the same thin chain but a twin chain, a choker with a thin but sturdy ring on it but the second chain was longer with a slim vertical bar pendant dangled off the end, “Just slide the gem here forward to expose the chip when you want to plug it in. It’s active and programmed so you don’t have to do anything else but to stick it in and wait until you can retrieve it and return back to me.” 

Jiya nodded, testing the pendant as she slid it open like any other normal USB. 

“I guess I’m ready,” Jiya sucked in a breath, fixing the chain around her but Sehun had stood up and got behind her, pausing momentarily to pray for strength at the sight of the backless cut to the corset. He shifted her hair away from her neck to see why Jiya was missing the clasp. 

“Not quite,” Sehun said, pulling the links from her fingers to clasp the chain in place, setting it down gently to brush his fingers over the nape of her neck, indulging in the shudder Jiya responded with. 

“What more could we be missing?” 

“Two things to explain. Palms up and together.” He instructed before he dropped a set of mismatched earrings into her palms – one, a golden topaz stud while the other had two drop down chains attached with more teardrop topaz gems to match the thigh chain, “Put these on.” 

He had watched Jiya’s reflection like a hawk as she fixed the earrings in place. He rested his cheek against his loosely curled fist, flashing the matching topaz cufflink in the buttonhole at his wrist, as his elbow was propped up by the other arm that crossed his torso. He signalled with a lazy twirl of his finger for her to turn on the spot for him and Jiya responded slowly. 

“_Perfect_,” He commented into her and Jiya gasped at the echo of his voice in her ear. 

“What are these?” She held onto the stud against her ear. 

“Communication devices, babe, I’m with you every step of the way with this. You can hear me and I can listen to you.” He stood right behind Jiya, tilting his head to the side while reassuring her.

“This is beyond my level of experience, Sehun.” 

“Relax. This is your chance to play Mata Hari for the night.” Sehun chuckled throatily, gently rubbing up her biceps in a soothing up-and-down motion to relax her. 

“I don’t dance.” Jiya muttered. 

“I know you don’t and I wouldn’t dare make you dance. But I will blindfold you,” Sehun hummed, gauging her appearance as he watched over her shoulder, “It’s required for all Elysium pets to be adorned as desired for the night.” Sehun snorted. 

“These people need help.” She muttered, adjusting the choker around her neck, unaware of how she caught Sehun’s attention. 

“It’s not nice to kink shame someone, Jiya.” Sehun scolded in a mocking tone.

“It was bold of you to think I was judging them for their kinks…” Jiya shot back her sharp retort but gasped when the lace sash fell over her eyes and tightened around her head as Sehun pulled gently to tip her head back against his chest. 

He was waiting to see how she would react since the Slaver Kings were known for doing impulsive shit. She was good. She had relaxed herself completely – very docile and calm. 

Or so it seemed, Sehun’s sharp gaze caught the way she had been balling the layers of her skirt between her fingers as she tightened her grip into fists.

“So this is fine?” He asked, he angled his grip to tilt Jiya’s head to the side, “If I had to do this for the sake of our little act?” Sehun was imprinting the question into her skin as he ran the tip of his nose against the sensitive skin behind her ear, relishing the little shiver Jiya gave with his lips brushing against her skin.

Sehun berated himself mentally, because he was overstepping his boundaries again and it just wasn’t professional for the moment but his mind was fogging over with desire and she was just so soft and malleable under his touch. She was unravelling the nerves slowly – her hands unclenched and relaxed despite their light grasp on the organza. 

“It’s fine for the sake of our little act… I’ll just have to make you pay for impulsive shit like this later.” He catches the sight of her painted lips tilting into a sinful smile as he watches her reflection and it sucker punches him for the moment.

“More money, Jiya?” He suggested, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her against him.

“I think I will decide on that later…” She taunted him, resting her head against his shoulder. 

“Maybe I can sway your decision,” he hummed, pressing his lips to her pulse point, lingering a moment too long when he feels her pulse racing before he pulls away from her, taking off the lace blindfold in the same motion.

“I’m still leaning towards money, Sehun,” She turned to face him with a wicked look.

“Pretty and mouthy… It’s really sexy, babe,” Sehun smirked, capturing her chin in his light grasp as he brushed his thumb over her lower lip. 

“Then I’m doing my job perfectly…” She grins lazily, pulling away from his touch.

He shook his head, amused yet a little raw, “You’re ruthless…” 

“You seem unscathed.” She smiled sweetly at Sehun.

Sehun pulled out a cell phone and a heavy bracelet, “This band is your mark of being an Elysium slave. In this is the tracker chip that is issued by Elysium, naturally they will be monitoring you. 

“I see it, under the snowflake.” She pointed out while inspecting the bracelet. 

“Then that cell phone is a little problem, isn’t it?” Jiya raised an eyebrow at him.

“Well, that means we’ve got to do something about it…” Sehun smirked in a knowing way. 

* * *

Kai huffed, rolling his head to ease the growing knot that was making his neck stiff as hell. He was frustrated and he wasn’t sure how cool he could remain with Sehun and Jiya. They were on the cusp of finding out if Min was in the slave business or not but Jiya was hesitating. She didn’t seem too bothered when she had arrived but she was skittish, even for someone who works in the Mafia. 

He wasn’t sure if he could trust her yet, he wasn’t sure if he could trust Sehun’s faith in her. Kai swore he wouldn’t make an issue of it until they were in the clear after this job. He normally wouldn’t be so judgemental but he couldn’t help it. Kai felt his anxiety settle heavy in his shoulders with tight and painful pressure – he was on the cusp of a lead on trying to locate Min and he’d give anything to let the process go smoothly. 

He supposes that was the very reason why he was so harsh on his judgement on Jiya. 

It wasn’t fair which is why he shut up and let Sehun handle it. 

He really really needed the night to go smoothly. 

When Kai got back to the suite, he found Jiya fully dressed and setting the brocade lapels of Sehun’s black silk waistcoat in place. Sehun towered over Jiya, even with her heels, swathed in black. The only striking part of his outfit had been the decadent brocade. It made his blonde hair even more striking in it as she stood at his side and reached to set a tuft of his hair in place. 

They spent a moment staring at each other too long and then Jiya stepped back, finally noticing that Kai was in the room. 

“Master Kai, you’re back. Master was about to call you.” Jiya greeted with a saccharine smile that was all too well practiced that it almost seemed genuine. 

“You _broke_ her. She’s actually acting her part.” Kai commented as his gaze shifted to Sehun who had been adjusting the thin rose gold chain around his neck in place. 

“I didn’t. Jiya just needed a pep talk. She’ll be perfect tonight.” Sehun hummed, “Are you dressed?” 

Sehun gave a once over at Kai’s outfit. His shirt was made from black sheer fabric but had two thin lace panels running vertically, strategically placed to save the dignity of his chest unlike the aesthetic accenting single panel that ran the length of his spine before the shirt disappeared under the line of his beige pants at his waist before reaching all the way to his white shoes.

Kai made a noise of affirmative, grasping onto his suit jacket that had been draped on the sofa of their suite. Jiya made an amused sound when she saw it had all sort of panel cut outs, the very stitch work bands only seemed to remain as he slipped it over himself

Sehun seemed to catch Jiya’s expression before winking at her and turned to Kai to taunt him. 

“You’re such a whore for fancy dress evenings.” Sehun snorted, forgoing a suit jacket for the night altogether. 

“Could you even dress properly when I actually take the time out to pick clothes for you? I’m sure there was a silk tie to go with that, yet here you are.” Kai huffed gesturing at Sehun’s open buttons, skimming shy off the edge line of his waistcoat as it plunged to his mid sternum. 

“I could but I won’t.” Sehun shrugged, “Come, Jiya.” He held out his hand to her. Jiya took his hand as they headed for the door. He had Jiya out the door before he paused, “Jiya, last chance for the bathroom and lipstick. You’re not carrying a bag.”

“Right.” Jiya rolled her eyes, realising that Sehun wanted to talk without her around. 

She escaped into the bedroom behind her. 

“I still don’t trust her.” Kai commented in a low tone the moment he was sure Jiya was out of earshot. 

“You don’t need to trust her. She’ll get the job done. I know you’re anxious. I understand the pressure behind this. This is a chance to find Princess.” Sehun sat down on the sofa. 

“This almost feels ridiculous.” Kai clucked his tongue. 

“You’ve been obsessing over little details because you’re worrying over the bigger issues at hand.” Sehun sighed, “Look, I know Jiya isn’t giving you much to place faith in her but she’s capable. Tonight is our stepping stone and she’ll get it done, no matter what she encounters, I have that much faith. She doesn’t know how desperate we are to find Princess. Let me… shield her from that in this sense. Let her understand that our end goal is only as far as hacking a system tonight.” 

“Maybe you’re being too protective. If she’s as smart as you’ve told me, she’ll figure that out.” 

Sehun snorted, “Absolutely, she probably has already but she, for the sake of being successful, is going to ignore that. She’s an informant – she’s going to learn stuff that she doesn’t even need to nor has no business knowing but she’ll filter that out for her own sake.” Sehun got up and walked over to the bedroom door, leaning on the door frame and facing Kai before rapping his knuckles lightly in a backward motion on the door, “Isn’t that right, babe?” 

Jiya opened the door with a sour look on her face, clucking her tongue and pinning Sehun with a fierce expression, “Force of habit.”

“Cute. But play nice with Kai or I cut your pay.” Sehun threatened. 

“You’re toying with someone’s alcohol allowance, Sehun.” Jiya replied tersely. 

“I think you hit a nerve, Sehun.” Kai commented in a mocking tone.

“The irony is she works for a bar which she has ultimate access. I think she’s just intent on running me broke.” 

“Consider it lucky if I’m only running you broke for tormenting me.” Jiya huffed before leaving the suite.

"That's my girl." Sehun patronized her as she walked away from them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super late to updates but I finally got over the stagnating part of my story. Steam train mode is about to pick up.
> 
> The next chapter was pure agony to perfect and I was so stuck for flow but I finally found it.


	15. 1 4.		S A F F R O N

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is the second half of my double update. If you haven't read the previous chapter please hoppity hop back one chapter before continuing your read in Stained Petals or else you will be thoroughly confused.

1 4. S A F F R O N 

_The colour of sacrifice. The quest for salvation. _

Jiya stood in perfect posture in the Elysium lounge lobby as she was being looked over So Mi. She had given Jiya a sharp and curt run down of the rules. Jiya nodded, observing and absorbing part of the rules to play her part well. So Mi had taken the sash and fixed it tightly around her eyes, leaving her to stand all too still with the loss of control over her vision. 

She jumped when an arm wrapped around her waist. 

“Master Sehun?” She tested and Sehun hummed softly, indicating how close he was to her until she felt someone’s sleeve brush against her arm, flanking her right. 

“Master Kai?” Jiya questioned aloud. 

Kai breathed a laugh, “I find this quite amusing. Since we’ve met all you’ve done is hiss and glare – and now you’re practically leashed, little jungle cat.” 

Jiya growled at him but yelped when Sehun pinched her waist.

“Jiya?” Sehun taunted with nothing but a questioning tone of addressing her.

Jiya had quietened and clung to Sehun. 

Sehun had been leading her around – through two sets of doors, judging by the sound of them sliding open and closing behind them before stopping and leaning into her space to talk to her. 

“They’ve changed things. There is a server room to the left. I think this is better. You can abandon the little thing once you plug it in.” 

“Great.” She agreed despite feeling nerves knot up with tension. 

He tugged her gently and got her through another set of doors and that was when Sehun stopped dead. 

“Fuck.” Sehun swore emphatically under his breath.

“What, Sehun?” Kai caught Sehun’s distress. 

“They’ve changed the entire layout since the last time I was here.” 

“That’s fucking crazy. You were here not even three weeks ago.” Kai gaped at Sehun’s barely masked horrified expression. 

Kai and Sehun stood in what felt like a doorway into some black market showroom. Sehun marvelled at the high single barrel ceiling that had a complex coffered design etched into it. It went well with the tall double storey arch ways that supported it. 

The entire room had been doused in dim blue light and splashed the white leather sofa booths that were lined up along the edges of the room between the archways. In the gallery were booths that looked over and onto the floor, a clear view of the hexagon dais that was the central point of the room. 

The booths on the main floor was alternating between low tables filled with drinks and thin white light up platforms that had burlesque dancers on dancing poles or aerial LED hoops. 

Sehun cursed again, holding onto Jiya a little tighter, when his eyes caught the most lavish booth that was occupied by Slaver Kings. There booth had been free from any dancers and had a clear view of the raised dais from their position.

Unfortunately Jaehwan had been watching the entrance like a hawk and spotted Sehun. He flicked his wrist and an usher fell forward from the dark edges of the room, waiting hand and foot on Jaehwan. He had tilted his head to the side and the usher bent over to listen to his instructions. 

Said usher was rushing over to Sehun and Kai in the same moment. 

“Young Masters, it is an honour. We weren’t aware that you were guests of Master Jaehwan. He has requested for you to join him at his table.”

Sehun sighed and beckoned Kai to follow as they crossed the floor, passing the booths with guys and trays of white powder in taped up brown paper packages. 

“You didn’t mention drugs?” 

“There weren’t any drugs to mention of when I was last here…” Sehun threw a disgusted look. 

“Must be something new ever since they decided to partner with the Emperor…” Jiya muttered under her breath. 

“Possibly. Now be a good slave and follow my lead.” 

“Yes, Master.” Jiya hissed the response when he stopped her just in front of Jaehwan’s booth. 

Kai would have snickered had he not been standing directly across Kim Ravi. He would have hardly recognised him in the dark lighting but the mirrored expression of surprised gave it away. 

But Sehun’s terse tone brought back Kai’s expression, not noticing how Ravi’s face had fallen with the discarded and rejected feeling once Kai’s attention had been grabbed.

“Sehun, seat the lovely little bird on your arm down over here, right next to me. I wish to talk to her.” Jaehwan’s eyes gleamed with a challenge. 

Sehun huffed and pulled off her blindfold and ordered in a tight whip crack of a command, “Jiya, sit.” 

“Yes, Master…” She sat beside Jaehwan and discreetly left her hands buried in the heaps of her skirts as it fell in segments that flanked the outer and inner sides of her thighs. She hid them to not let anyone know she had been curling and uncurling her hands in tight fists. 

Sehun wanted to applaud her effort for remaining composed, she sat there perfectly obedient and demure with downcast eyes but Sehun could pick up on the way she had locked her jaw.

“Look at me, pet.” Jaehwan commanded and Jiya deliberately looked to Sehun, seeking permission.

“Listen, Jiya.”

Jiya turned to take in the image of Lee Jaehwan. 

He was frivolous decadency personified as he was dressed in an all-black evening suit that had been lined with burgundy coloured silk and complimented with a skinny white tie. His normally straight hair had been teased and coifed to the side as it curled tight and neat, showing off the dramatic fade of his undercut. 

“She’s adorable, Sehun. You must tell me where you bought her from because I think would know if I had such a pretty little doll in my stock…” Jaehwan ran the back of his ring clad fingers down the length of her bicep before hooking a finger in the elasticated flower band on her right arm. 

Sehun held his breath for the moment before he remembered that it was the other band on her right arm that hid the fresh healing scar.

Jaehwan pulled at it lazily before it snapped back and Jiya remained still, unflinching to the stinging sensation on her reddening skin.

“Jiya wasn’t bought.” Sehun replied in a flat tone. 

“Oh, she wasn’t?” Jaehwan tilted his head to the side, “Well, integrating slaves into Elysium isn’t unheard of. Do you wish to bring her under my brand? We’d care greatly for her until she’s bought…” He proposed playful. 

“Not for sale.” Sehun snipped under his breath. 

“Possessive, are we?” 

“Not at all. She isn’t trained.” Sehun muttered tiredly. 

“Trained? She seems well behaved enough – her etiquette is impressive if she’s untrained.”

Kai snorted, “Wait for it. Sehun has only taught her the basics and she barely yields to that.”

Jiya had shot Kai a dirty look, not minding that she had seven other pairs of eyes on her in that moment. 

“You forget that I didn’t want this, Master Kai,” Jiya hissed at him and threw the blindfold at Kai. 

“Feisty, is she?” Jaehwan leaned over, interested as Sehun picked up the blindfold. 

“She is.” Jiya articulated firmly, daring to look him dead in the eye despite her heart hammering in her chest. 

“Be careful, little one. You’re lucky that Sehun is your Master… I assume he’s the gentle kind. Had you been one of my dolls… I can foresee that you would be in a little more than just a pinch.” Jaehwan threatened with a sweet smile.

Sehun sighed, “That’s almost the reason why I’m here tonight…” 

“Oh, you really didn’t need a reason to visit us tonight, Sehun… we’re practically friends now. My operating floor is open to you always from the night you walked out with two dragons in your tow.” Jaehwan gave a vicious expression, his mouth tilting in a wicked curve. 

Sehun pulled out Jiya’s Elysium issued cell phone. It had been ruined and the screen had been webbed over in ugly minute cracks and had blacked out. 

“She’s actually quite the jungle cat… Jiya is too smart to break easily. She still has this sense of rebellion in her and she mangled her device this afternoon, hoping to escape before I brought her out for her first field test.” 

Hongbin chuckled gleefully, “I utterly adore this part of new slaves. Elysium has almost robbed us of the breeding process with all its rules and etiquette classes in place.” 

“Do you need help with her discipline, Sehun?” Jaehwan asked, almost insulting Sehun in a subliminal sense. 

Sehun narrowed his gaze at Jaehwan, wanting to retort with a sarcastic quip but two different hands settled on either shoulder of his, scaring him in a tiny ‘ah’ on his lips. 

“Sehun wouldn’t have an issue of training one little slave… he has a charm and I imagine that the little kitten has yet to succumb to it, isn’t that right, Key?” Jonghyun’s velvety voice smoothly interrupted the pending tongue lash from Sehun. 

Sehun had turned to find the Dragons flanking him from behind. Jonghyun had been dressed in a white suit that had fit snuggly over his stature. He had an iron grey turtleneck under the light fabric which fixed itself over his torso with double metal buckle wraps while Key had been dressing a silver shimmer suit and paired with a black turtleneck. 

“The brat certainly has a way with people. He’s a magnet for troublemakers and that includes us, I suppose.” His pretty mouth curled somewhat vindictively at the Slaver Kings. 

“She’s a handful.” Sehun added, dumbly.

“She reflects her own Master’s attitude.” Key hummed, before he settled into the booth next to Kai. 

He had leaned over to Kai, whispering into his ear, “Now I know Sehun has a plan, I had anticipated you as our pretty slave for the night – too bad. You’re pretty when covered in blood and now you’re even prettier all polished and dressed like a toy.” 

“Sorry to disappoint. Are you abetting or thwarting Sehun tonight?” Kai dared to ask back, almost itching to wring his wrist out from the phantom twinge he was experiencing. 

“Neither. We’ve done our part. Hyung and I are here to watch the chaos. Naturally this little event will be reported to the Emperor regardless of the outcome.” Key chuckled, squeezing Kai’s shoulder before going back to watching how Jonghyun had been harassing Sehun while fending off Jaehwan’s mouthy retorts. 

“Key… you should have told me that you would be coming tonight…” Cha Hakyeon hummed, a wine glass in his hand just as the last time Sehun was in Elysium. 

“Naturally, you should have anticipated me, Hyung. We’ve been given the go ahead to watch over this new launch of Elysium by the Emperor himself.” 

“Oh?” Jaehwan voice joined the conversation, “Hongbin, this puts quite the pressure on your little project.” 

“Pressure is what makes diamonds, Hyung… I’m ready for anything tonight.” Hongbin beamed, dimples popping in his cheeks angelically even if his smile was vicious. 

“Master…” Jiya called, “Bathroom.” She muttered. 

Sehun sighed, making a start to get up but Jonghyun set Sehun back in her seat. 

“I’ve got to go with her… She may be lying and using this as an excuse to run away and I don’t have a tracker for her.” Sehun reached over to the crushed device on the table and slid the device over to Jaehwan – upon closer inspection – even without picking it up Jaehwan could see it was bent out of shape and webbed over with a million cracks to the point you couldn’t slide a finger over the screen without getting imbedding a shard into said finger.

“I don’t think she’d run from a Dragon.” Jonghyun mused, pulling Jiya by the arm out of the booth but Sehun grips Jonghyun with an iron hold on his arm. 

“She doesn’t need to be carved if you feel like it.” Sehun gritted his teeth. 

“I wouldn’t. She isn’t mine to do so.” Jonghyun hummed, wrapping an arm around Jiya’s shoulders. 

“Masters…” Jiya looked terrified as her gaze bounced between Sehun and Kai. 

“Go with him, Jiya. Be quick.” Kai took the hint to disperse the tension and calmed Sehun down. 

Jiya followed Jonghyun’s lead, being weaved and woven through the dark back hallways of Elysiym, searching for a way to dodge the Dragon and head back to the server room. It was then they reached the private bathrooms and Jiya knew she was done for, she didn’t have a plan and she wasn’t sure if she’d have to knock Jonghyun out. 

_Taking on a Dragon is madness… _

He pushed open the door into the plush bathroom and powder room and motioned for her to go in. Jiya got in and scanned the room for anything to hit him over the head with but she wasn’t sure if she could do it. She’d need something to tie Jonghyun up with, in case he wakes up and tried to alert anyone of what she had done to him. 

“You know, you’re pretty inexperienced for someone who is planning to attack me.” Jonghyun smiled as he shut the door behind him before leaning against it, effectively blocking the only way out of the room. 

“I wasn’t…” 

“Yes, you weren’t because it’s not part of your act in Sehun’s plan but now you’re forced to think on the spot, aren’t you?” 

“I still wasn’t going to.” 

“Of course not, it’s not in your nature. You don’t have the nerve for proper combat. You have experience in a bar brawl at most, sweetheart.” Jonghyun gave her a tight smile.

Jiya sighed, “Fine. Maybe so, but I need to scram and really don’t need a babysitter.” 

“Maybe so. But do you want to be an unmarked and unknown slave in this place?” Jonghyun asked, raising an eyebrow, insinuating the real meaning behind if she does leave without being attached to someone who could be assumed as her owner. 

Jiya paled a little, “No…” 

“So will you go back to the table to possibly be handed over to the Slaver Kings or stay and listen to me?” 

“I can’t betray Sehun.” 

“Not that I would ask that of you but I am curious… Why are you so loyal to my Baby boy?” 

Jiya was caught off by the question because the more she thought about it her mind had said no even as she was doing this crazy job with Sehun. 

“He’s paying me well. I asked for a ridiculous amount for his ridiculous job. We both knew this was crazy to try. I’m doing this for money.” She bit her as she practically spat out the heinous lie. 

She couldn’t help it; she had to lie because bringing light to how deep her attraction to Oh Sehun was not a good moment for self-discovery. Feelings were dangerous and it was something that could be used against her. She knew it but she couldn’t deny that she was more attached to Oh Sehun than she’d like to admit aloud. 

“_Money_, is it?” Jonghyun hummed. 

“It has nothing to do with the fact that you’re attracted to him?” 

“Attraction means nothing in the Undercity. People outside this very bathroom are being auctioned off for the very same reason you’re curious about.” 

Jonghyun laughed outright, “I’m glad you aren’t blinded by his pretty face. But you should know he’s hiding something from you, sweetheart. I’m surprised he has managed to get away with it until this point with you – it’s quite glaring.” 

“All my clients are secretive; I don’t need to know everything about them.”

“Tell me… do you have scars?” He grinned as he walked over to her, crowding her against the sink counter without even touching her. 

“Why would you ask that?” She looked up into the silver demon like eyes, he could sense her suspicion. 

“Not your first time hearing that question?”

“Sehun may have asked about it… He told me that Jaehwan doesn’t like flawed slaves – I needed to fit that.” 

Jonghyun gave a delirious laugh, “Well… he was right about that.”

“Are you done stalling me? I need to get to work and I’m giving you my window to entertain you.” Jiya sniffed, pulling away. 

“Ah… yes, I didn’t mean to disturb the foolish plan of snooping into the server room through the front door.”

“If you know another way, point me in the direction.” Jiya folded her arms across her chest and huffed. 

Jonghyun walked to the last stall against the wall and threw open the door, “Step this way.”

“You’re helping me… why?” 

“Sehun is playing at something in a very dangerous way where he has not just Dragons but Slavers breathing down his neck and yet he hasn’t breathed a word of his full objective. Kim Kai is the only who has the entire idea but he won’t say anything. Not even if Key sticks a knife or two in him.”

“Don’t hurt them.” Jiya requested softly. 

“Might be unavoidable if you aren’t quick, sweetheart. I believe that panel falls away and you can crawl into the server room from here. I mean, that necklace is a micro USB, right? You did need the excuse of reregistering your slave device in again because that would be the only reason why you smashed up the device under Sehun’s order.” 

“You’re scaring me… Just how much to do you know?” Jiya muttered, utterly irritated on the surface but she would be lying if she didn’t find how knowledgeable Jonghyun seemed of her arrangement with Sehun.

“Only enough about your part right now, we just had the camera and mic in that device alive all this time until you smashed it in with your shoe. Your lie about doing this for money was pretty good but Key and I know you mean something to our little Baby boy.” Jonghyun looked content and smug. 

“Are you going to use it against him?” 

“We’re using it against you. He’s technically ours and there’s something to prove that.” Jonghyun vicious grinning was triumphant. His hands reached out and he begun to unclip the organza skirt from around her waist. “Now, we won’t drive you away but will you manage with us constantly lingering over him. We have no intent of letting him go – even to someone who pleases him to his core.” 

“Sehun doesn’t feel that way – why are you twisting this beyond me getting paid?” Jiya huffed and looked away, her hair curtaining her expression.

Jonghyun looked at Jiya with some pity – he remembers being that naïve but it’s going to get her and Sehun killed or worse. So he shook his head, brushing her question off.

“I’m giving you fifteen minutes. Or I go back with your skirt and personally point Lee Jaehwan in your direction.” Jonghyun challenged as Jiya peeped into the empty stall that was functioning as a store room for the mops and detergents. 

“See you in fifteen.” Jiya snapped as she shut the stall door behind her and pulled at the panel, easily dislodging it from the wall but she couldn’t get it to budge completely so she grabbed a mop and peeled off the smooth wall panel. Behind it was a dark passage and she saw it was a tight squeeze, it seemed like a new wall was built close to an old one, leaving a barely accessible passage. 

She sucked in a breath and decided to turn sideways to sideways shift crawl through the passage. 

She crawled through the tight space fairly easily until she grazed her knee on the rough concrete. 

“Babe, you there? Can you talk?” 

“Sehun…” She called out quietly under her breath. 

“Are you okay? Did Jjong do anything to you?” 

“You know… you sort of failed to mention this mission came with Dragons. They’re literally on to us. They were listening to us coz they bugged the phone we smashed up.” 

“Fuck… but what are they doing about it?”

Jiya wanted to tattle but that wasn’t how business works. 

“Nothing. Jjong just seems content with watching. He’s letting me get on with the plan. But I have a time limit. What’s Key doing?” 

“The same. He’s watching but he seems more amused with the tension at the table.” 

“Alright, I’ll proceed as normal. See you in like fifteen minutes.” 

“Wait. Where are you?” 

“Tell you later, I’m almost in the server room.” 

“Come back to me, Jiya.” 

“Right.” She tried not to let her heart pound at that. He didn’t have to sound so bloody concerned and warm about it. It would all be over once the job was done and she’d never see Sehun again. 

Jiya climbed through the passage, stopping at the mouth realising she had to drop to crawl to climb into one of the server banks cubicles to enter the room.

“Tch, this is too simple. Well, one thing has to go smoothly after all the fucking Dragons and Slaver Kings, right?” Jiya mumbled, getting onto her knees, hissing under her breath at the sting in her left knee. 

Ignoring it, Jiya climbed and cramped up in the large cool glass server bank booth. She then pried the cubicle door open with her high heel before she crawled out. 

She stood up, straightening up from her crouched position and took in the cool room, straining her senses to see if there was anyone in the room with her. Jiya clung to the edge of the room, running along the way until she found the control computer. 

“Sehun… This feels easy… Too easy.”

“Problem?” 

“I don’t know. I’ve got a nasty feeling about this because of how smooth this is.” 

“You think everything was going smoothly so far?” He snorted.

“You’re telling me that you weren’t expecting that little shit storm of a conversation with all the Slavers and the Dragons.” 

“I love how you’re playing this off as if you were so cool through the entire fiasco.” 

“I was terrified out of my wits. I had no idea what was going to happen. I was pretty sure I was going to have to attack someone to actually get on with the plan.” 

“Yeah about that… don’t go hitting a Dragon, babe.” 

“Hmmm…” She hummed, as she searched the surface for the USB ports, “Found it!” She exclaimed. 

“Great work, babe. You’re doing amazing… We’re almost – fuck!” Sehun swore mid-sentence. 

“What is going on?” 

“Jaehwan left shortly after you left the booth with Jjong and it’s been roughly twelve minutes since then.” 

“Where did he go?” 

“No idea. Be on the watch – we just may have fucked up. Look for another way out other than the server room door.” 

“I’ve got it covered, Sehun. I should be able to leave without a hassle. I know I need to meet Jjong in like seven minutes.” Jiya reaffirmed. 

“Okay… I’ll see you then. Hurry u –“ 

Jiya yelped, hearing the static, immediately shutting off the communication link in her earring. 

“I don’t like this. That wasn’t random static.” Jiya murmured as she jammed the USB into the control computer, watching the computer reading the little device with their Trojan. 

She watched the upload bar, pushing the percentage towards one hundred smoothly. 

“My my, what a naughty little kitten indeed.” Jaehwan called out and Jiya yelped once more, whirling around to find the Slaver King at the end of their little corridor in the server room, her mess of a skirt in his grasp. She remained silent, listening to the low hum of the servers. 

“Why are you here?” Jiya asked, a little apprehensive of the way he approached her. 

“Well… I believed I’d find you in the powder room but all I found was a Dragon and your skirt. It seemed like Sehun was right… you do have a tendency to run away.” 

“I wasn’t running away.” 

“Indeed, what you’re doing is worse. You’re a little thief.” 

“I’d have to be stealing something to be a thief.” Jiya stood her ground firmly.

“You’re inflicting in on my business’ privacy. I don’t take kindly to people who hurt my business…” Jaehwan grinned, slouching to block her exit out. 

“Pay me twice my price to stop this job.” Jiya proposed. 

“Oh, don’t be boring, kitten. I’ve grown tired of playing with money but I do like how you’re willing to gamble.” He sighed and straightened up, walking over to her.

“I can’t trade anything else. I’d offer my services but it seems clear that you don’t need them.” Jiya straightened her back, begging her body to not give into the waves of anxious thoughts running through her mind. 

“Don’t be too quick to brush off your own value in this little gamble, pet. Money may buy everything I need but it doesn’t buy me a thrill. Now if you aren’t a thief, what are you?” He puts a hand on top of her head, his hand sliding down before stopping at her nape, squeezing in a firm knead with enough pressure to give her a threat of force.

“I collect information.” She stated primly but Jaehwan’s hand closed into a fist over her hair before he pulled. 

Jiya screamed as he lifted her up, pinning her to the console surface. She kicked out to thrash out of his hold, her heels scrapping at the floor but not giving her enough grounding to throw her own weight from him. 

“Hold still and the pain stops.” He spoke in a flat tone. 

Jiya stilled, “Release me, Lee Jaehwan.” 

His bee stung lips twist into a cold smirk. 

“What a strange kitten… Most of them usually cry at this point. What did you cut your teeth on?”

“Release me and maybe you’ll find out.” She bared her teeth at him.

“Threatening a Slaver King, kitten?”

“A pretty title for a pretty spoilt brat like you.”

But his hand came up and slapped her across the face. 

“I actually find it surprising that Sehun would have it in him to play such a dirty trick by sneaking in a little minx to do his dirty work.”

“Shit…” Jiya swore quietly, feeling a little disorientated with the force.

“I’m curious, Jiya… If money and your skills as a profiting informant is off the table then what else do you have to offer to me? Tell me, what could you possibly offer me that I’d let you walk out of this room and let you go on with your little dirty business deal.”

“Definitely not myself. I’m not obedient enough to be your slave.” Jiya grinned at him. 

“You’re just like Sehun… it makes sense why he picked you to be his little toy for the night. It was a good attempt, really. Everything was going so well for you… you even managed to strike a truce with a Dragon.” 

“What did you do?” 

“Jjong is fine, if that is what you’re wondering. I may be arrogant but I am not stupid, I know better than to threaten the Emperor’s Dragons on his own turf.”

“Then…” She shivered, realising she might have been abandoned with no safety net to fall back on. 

“Cute… you’re really scared, aren’t you?”

“You don’t scare me, Jaehwan.”

“Oh, I know. I may not scare you yet but what I do scares you… you’re afraid of Slavers, aren’t you?” 

“Bullshit. I’m scared of my pay cheque being compromised, so release me and we’ll come to an arrangement and you let me go.” 

“I like your buck, Jiya. I think I’ll take up you deal. How about we play a game before you leave me?” 

“Deal. I’ll play your game and you leave me alone for the night.” Jiya hissed. 

Jaehwan let her go and he stepped back, “If only all my dolls were as composed and smart like you, Jiya. You should come to my manor for an evening and teach them what obedience is.” 

Jiya snorted, “I’d only teach them how to rebel against you. I’d like to live life knowing I wasn’t a target of interest for you.” 

“Pity… Here.” He pulls out a little slim case from the lining of his suit and tosses it at Jiya. She catches it with ease and flipped open the lid and stared with wide eyes. 

“What is this?” 

“A cocktail.” 

“Nu uh. I work for a bar and I think I know what a cocktail looks like. I don’t know of a single cocktail that comes in a syringe.” 

Jaehwan chuckles, “You are quite entertaining, Jiya. Anyway, you’ve got the gist of this game, right? All you have to do is inject that and you’ll be free to return to Sehun. If you don’t, I drag you back to the club floor by your hair and personally auction you between my fellow Kings only and you best pray Hongbin has had his fill of buying pretty dolls to break tonight.” He hissed.

Jiya looks to the Slaver King with glassy eyes – her pupils blown and shaking with trepidation. 

“What is in this cocktail?” Jiya asked quietly. 

“It’s something I’ve tried on my dolls as punishment lately and the results are entertaining at the very least.” 

“Don’t fucking sugar coat it. I know you’re intent on drugging me. I want to know what the fuck is going to happen to me…” 

“Well… you’re going to find out the hard way. If you’re concerned about an overdose – it won’t happen unless you decide to mix alcohol with it.” 

“Why did you take my deal? You’re not gaining anything – I’m getting away with what I set out to do. I could be selling your buyers and suppliers out to your competition for all you know…”

“I almost find that thought entertaining. Even if does happen… well, Hongbinnie just has extras to play with.” He smiled to himself, amused with the idea.

“However, to answer you, this little game is only beginning, kitten. This is only our first round and you will do your best to not let me find you.” 

“Fuck no. I like not playing with my life for shits and giggles. Here’s to never seeing you again.” Jiya took out the slim syringe and pulled off the protective packaging to fix the needle before driving it into her right upper arm, biting on her lip to not make a sound as she drove the plunger home. 

“Intramuscular administration of the drug, huh? I like this a lot. You play on high stakes, Jiya. Here’s to playing with you again.” He gave a breathy laugh, watching her pull the needle out of her arm and threw the syringe aside. She straightened up, giving him a dark look. 

“Rather I do it right… least I try and hurt myself in some other way.” Jiya huffed and walked up to him, “Now, please give me my skirt. I have to meet a Dragon so he can take me back to my Master. Especially since you’ve tampered with the comms. I can’t reach him.” 

“You will be able to reach your Masters once you get out of this room and this time you get to use the main door.” Jaehwan stepped aside, watching Jiya’s reaction. 

“Thank you.” Jiya responded tersely, clipping her skirt back into place on her bustier, “I’ll take my leave from you, Master Jaehwan.” 

“That rolls off your tongue well but I like when you say my name as if it’s a dirty word.”

Jiya stopped at the door with a laugh, “My old boss was like you. If I had no experience with men who liked to play God, I’d actually be disgusted with you.” 

“Go on, Jiya. Your Master must be frantic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a diamond in the rough. I had lots of things to set up and establish in just one event without prolonging and boring you guys so please throw me a comment when you're done with this fiasco I like to call a chapter. 
> 
> This segment is pivotal and great in terms of foreshadowing so tell me what you think I could be hinting at for the future of Stained Petals.


	16. 1 5.			S L A V E S

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOAH okay. This chapter is looooong. But we know my routine. Plucked Petals had got its bonus length chapter around the same time. I have too much to share and break from format BUT every moment is vital and this is a heavy loaded chapter with multiple things being set up. Just pay attention. It's really dope.
> 
> Also I couldn't resist giving Vixx extra feature time in the chapter. I enjoy what I've made the to be??
> 
> Lastly DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS.   
Diiiiiiiiid you miss them???

1 5. S L A V E S 

Ten Years Ago: 

> _It was a stormy night in the HUB, the rain hadn’t let up all day – only slowing to a heavy drizzle before reverting into its continuous downpour. But as night approached on the HUB, the city seemed to take on a darker atmosphere. _
> 
> _Or so it had seemed when the black nondescript van had veered through the streets with the ever increasing hard rain. The back of the van had been filled with a total of eight people, all with black cloth bags over their heads. _
> 
> _The ride had been quiet as the twelve hostages had been tied to the benches that lined the van with zip ties around their wrists. They had listened to the way the rain had pounded on the roof of the van while they had travelled._
> 
> _The van had slowed to a stop in front of Serendipity, a rundown club funded by the rising mafia within the Undercity. They had funded support activities of the black market for the sake of extra money being pumped into the city’s economy._
> 
> _Serendipity wasn’t any different in its appearance or the way it operated on most nights like any other club within the HUB, however on power week within the HUB where money flow was at its optimal – Serendipity would host a weekend long auction for slaves. _
> 
> _It was something that was started by chance. A group of Sweepers within Serendipity were drunkenly selling off their catches for the night because they weren’t interested in selling them to the mafia’s drug dens. _
> 
> _The group of people were forced out of the van and then guided into Serendipity via the back doors._
> 
> _Across the road, no one had noticed a boy standing in the alleyway with a pair of goggles in hand, watching the group being herded into Serendipity. He’s barely twenty with choppy black hair and unusually grey eyes with his hoodie pulled up high over his face. He stuffed the goggles into his pocket and pulled out his gloves from his back pocket._
> 
> _“I count twelve packages. No doubt all of them are up for auction.” He murmured as he tapped the ear piece to communicate. _
> 
> _“That’s two too many, Jonghyun.” The voice on the other end of his device piped up. _
> 
> _“Bullshit. We can save them.” Jonghyun hissed under his breath. _
> 
> _“We don’t have the manpower to cover you. We can save ten at the most and that’s pushing our unit.”_
> 
> _“We can’t let two people get sold just because we didn’t push ourselves to try and save them.” _
> 
> _“Do you even give a fuck about saving these people or are you just interested in your paycheque?” The voice spat at him. _
> 
> _“Does it even fucking matter? We get paid per package we save, don’t we? We’re not that shitty that just because our team is down two people that we can’t save two extra people. That puts and extra four grand in our back pocket if we save them.” _
> 
> _A sigh comes through, “Jonghyun… there are some of us… who can’t push as hard as you do for the money. At some point we find this operation dangerous and we start to fear for our lives.” _
> 
> _“Tch… you’re being paranoid. Listen leave the extra two to me… I’d like to be four grand richer than the rest of you, pissheads.” He growled, pulling out his knives, “If you don’t want to stick around when you’re done clearing out the ten, leave… I’ve been doing this for three years already. I’ll get them out myself and I’ll get paid.”_
> 
> _“Don’t get caught. Don’t sell us out.”_
> 
> _“Yeah yeah… whatever… I don’t give a shit about your warnings.” He clucked his tongue. _
> 
> _ \---_
> 
> _Jonghyun had snuck into the club thanks to a contact when he had befriended one of the bartenders over drinks and lots of flirting. _
> 
> _He had managed to secure a way to the stock that was about to be auctioned off. They were being held in the cold room behind the fridges. They were freezing and huddled together. _
> 
> _“Hi guys! You don’t know who I am but you’re going to love me because I’m the crazy mother fucker who is about to save you. No one panic and we get through this easily. I’m going to cut those zip ties around your wrists and take off the hostage bags masks, alright.” _
> 
> _He had a chorus of wobbly agreement. _
> 
> _Jonghyun made quick on freeing the people from their constraints before he explained further, “Alright, listen up well because I’m only going over this once. I have a friend waiting at the door – she’s a bartender here and she’s going to slip you onto the dance floor one by one. This is part of the plan because she’s going to be taking you to a particular guy who is on my team. He will lead you to another van and the van will take you to a safe house – my boss happens to want to help you people be saved from this crap of being sold into slavery but I’m just looking for the cash so lets make this quick.” He huffed and shuffled them over to the right way out. _
> 
> _He had been counting them to see in what order to send them out to the bartender. He stopped dead when he counted only ten. _
> 
> _“There were twelve of you. Where are the other two?” He asked sternly. _
> 
> _“They were taken. We don’t know where. We just know the one guy who went was fighting back. They wanted to sell him first so they didn’t have to deal with him acting up.” A pale looking man explained. _
> 
> _“Fuck… okay… I’ll deal with it. Just follow what I said and you’ll be on your way before you even know it Have a good trip. I’ll see you at the safe house.”_
> 
> _Jonghyun had slipped out, pulling off his hoodie and handed it to the bartender before he walked off to the staff bathrooms. He straightened out the black dress shirt he had on and wiped down his pants and his black boots before he tried to fix his floppy hair in the mirror – he had rummaged the mirror cabinet until he found hair gel and slicked his hair off his face into a side swept tease with his fingers._
> 
> _He had been washing the gel out of his fingers when two other male staff members walked in. _
> 
> _“Did you get assigned to the private rooms to serve for the night?” The first one asked softly – well, as softly as one could be with the bass pounding through the building._
> 
> _“Yup… there are some scary guys in the room but they have a lot of money. They happen to be ordering the best we have in our stock. You need to help me or I’ll get fired for not keeping up with their orders.” The second, dirty brown haired boy explained. _
> 
> _“I’ll help you.” Jonghyun piped up. _
> 
> _“Who are you?” The dirty brown haired server asks. _
> 
> _“I’m new. I’m actually covering for a friend who is sick tonight.” _
> 
> _“Oh? You’re covering for Sungwoo… I’m Taesun. Here…” The one server tossed an apron at Jonghyun, “You’re going to need this if you’re going to help Hyunseon but you seemed to be dressed for the evening. Just take their orders and don’t ask about the auction.” _
> 
> _“Don’t worry about it… Sungwoo told me about them once. I don’t think I’ll get a shock.” Jonghyun lied easily to maintain his façade. _
> 
> _“Huh… well, he’s been known to be a chatty guy. Just don’t go around making it common news. These auctions are a private thing.”_
> 
> _“Sure… I’m actually curious to look in on one.” Jonghyun admitted. _
> 
> _“Just serve these guys and don’t make trouble.” _
> 
> _Jonghyun nodded, following Hyunseon further into club until they arrived at a set of double doors labelled “Private Rooms”. They entered and it’s a large carpeted hall filled with smoke and heavy perfumes as they had large sofas surrounding a dais. Men and women, dressed in rich fabrics, nursing cigars or drinks in their hand while the auction was going on. _
> 
> _A young woman was pushed onto the dais. She was youthful and pretty with long straight brown hair and unusually green eyes but in that moment she was nothing but terrified as she had collapsed in the process, sobbing and crying, dressed in a scanty rhinestone bustier and stockings before a Sweeper stepped forward and hauled her up to show her off to the crowd before her. _
> 
> _An auction master is calling out her statistics – her height, weight and so forth but Jonghyun wasn’t paying attention to that – he’s devising a way to get her off that dais and to get her out of the room. _
> 
> _But she made the mistake of trying to run away. She was shot in the head immediately. She fell to the ground a few feet from Jonghyun and he clucked his tongue, trying to ignore the woman’s body on the floor. _
> 
> _The buyers look bored and shift their attention back dais, asking for the next of the merchandise. _
> 
> _“The next we have is a boy. Eighteen. Korean. Five eight in height. A little on the skinny side at fifty six kilograms. Excellent health. Bad tempered however.”_
> 
> _“Let me go! Get your fucking hands off me.” The boy protested as he was dragged out onto the dais by his short cropped black hair. He was blindfolded and bleeding at the lip. He had blood dripping down his chin and he had a nasty cut just above his right eye that was completely covered with blood._
> 
> _“Ah yes… Ladies and gentlemen, I do ask you to reconsider this buy as his Sweeper has asked for a handsome base price since this particular sale. As you can see, we do have a bit of extra value to offer as he is rare despite how roughed up he is. Take off the blindfold.”_
> 
> _The Sweeper had planted the boy down in the centre of the dais, gripping his roughly by his hair, all the while ignoring the boy’s protests and loud swearing. As the blindfold came off, he gasped and shut his eyes tight. _
> 
> _“Open your eyes or we put a bullet in your head too.” The Sweeper had pulled out a gun and threatened the boy. _
> 
> _The boy’s eyes shot open revealing dual coloured eyes. His heterochromia iridium would fetch him a great price, Jonghyun thinks but he can’t shake the funk when he sees the same shade of grey staring back at him. _
> 
> _He had only seen that shade of grey in the mirrors he looked into but this boy had the same shade of grey in his right eye while his left eye had been the lightest shade of violet he had ever seen. The boy was simply beautiful to look at with his fox like features and feline gaze and thin lips._
> 
> _“We can start the bid for this boy at nine hundred thousand.”_
> 
> _“Fuck…” He murmured. _
> 
> _Jonghyun had taken someone’s order and left the room, searching for the bathroom again. _
> 
> _“Get out right now. Twelve is now eleven and I haven’t secured eleven as yet. Move out with the ten. I’ll meet you at the safe house.” He switched on his ear piece only to communicate that before he dumped into the bin along with his notebook. He then pulled out a lighter that he had nicked from someone on his way to the bathroom. Jonghyun threw the lighter into it before rounding back to the private room._
> 
> _He was already drenched by the sprinkling system when he had heard the screams of the ladies before the private room doors were thrown open. The men had already been leaving the auction but the boy’s Sweeper was arguing about the sale of the boy and wanting his money. _
> 
> _“I don’t want to keep this shitty brat for another day! Sell him right now!”_
> 
> _“There might be a fire in this building right now. No one gives a shit about the sale or the auction right now. Bring him back tomorrow and you’ll have your money.”_
> 
> _Jonghyun had passed the boy, “Hey… I’m going to help you. Distract him. Be loud while I get rid of the auction master.”_
> 
> _The boy immediately starts acting up, trying to give his seller the slip. _
> 
> _Eventually Jonghyun gets rid of the auction master – spilling the beans about the missing merchandise – knowing his team was long gone. It was just him and the Sweeper along with the boy who was meant to be sold off. _
> 
> _Jonghyun pulled out one of his knives and aimed it for the Sweeper’s chest. The Sweeper collapses with a gurgling sound before he sinks to the floor, making a splash sound. _
> 
> _“Shit…” The boy backed away, completely freaking out at the dead body on the floor. _
> 
> _Jonghyun approached him, “Hey, no worries now. We can leave. He won’t bother you anymore.” He assured him, passing the body as he got closer to help the boy up._
> 
> _“What’s your name?”_
> 
> _“Kim Kibum…”_
> 
> _“Kim Jonghyun… let’s get out of here.” Jonghyun informed smoothly. _
> 
> _“Thanks…” Kibum muttered as Jonghyun began to help him up. _
> 
> _But Jonhyun falls forward into Kibum and collapses the both of them with his off balance weight. “Fuck… I didn’t mean to do that.” He groaned, knowing he was just hit on the back of his head. They fumbled with the pooling water on the floor before they found purchase to turn around and stay balanced. _
> 
> _The Sweeper that he thought he had killed was still very much alive and seemed to be harbouring a need to get even with Jonghyun. _
> 
> _“We need to get out of here.” Kibum growled as he tried to scramble away but the Sweeper sluggishly caught onto Kibum again. _
> 
> _“You’re not going anywhere. I won’t die until you make me rich you pretty bitch.” He huffed. _
> 
> _“Not a fucking chance!” Kibum snapped back, backing away and trying to shake the grip around his ankle while splashing more water in the Sweeper’face. _
> 
> _Jonghyun was quick to use the water to slide fast enough to get between them and kick the Sweeper across the head to daze him. Kibum and Jonghyun both kick up more water noisily, scrambling aside to get out of the room but Jonghyun was pulled back. The Sweeper had thrown Jonghyun back and he landed against one of the sofas. He groaned with his back taking the brunt of the force. He sunk the floor, feeling his entire back burning with stinging pain._
> 
> _He can barely move but he needed to help Kibum or else they would both die at the hands of that Sweeper. He made out through his blurry vision the way the Sweeper had walked over to Kibum, gripping him at the throat and lifted him up, strangling him in the process. _
> 
> _Jonghyun knew he wouldn’t get to Kibum in time if he ran over so he pulled out another knife from his back pocket and hurled it the Sweeper’s hand that’s around Kibum’s throat._
> 
> _“Don’t touch him.” Jonghyun hissed as the Sweeper screamed and let go. Jonghyun heard the way Kibum landed on the floor coughing and choking. _
> 
> _“Get out of here…” Kibum urged Jonghyun over the noise of the rushing water. _
> 
> _“No. We’re getting out of here…” Jonghyun promised as he finally ran over to Kibum and picked him up, “C’mon, we’ve got to give him the slip now.” He told Kibum quietly, lifting the teenager to his feet but Kibum winced. _
> 
> _“I think my ankle folded the wrong way when he dropped me.” Kibum hissed. _
> 
> _“No problem. We just have to do this slowly.” Jonghyun pulled them out of sight of the Sweeper who had been trying to pull Jonghyun’s knife out of his hand. _
> 
> _Jonghyun scouted the wet room to locate an escape route. He picked up a bunch of ornaments from behind them._
> 
> _“C’mon it’s dark enough and he shouldn’t be able to find us if we crawl out while I throw these to throw off the sound of the water.”_
> 
> _Jonghyun threw the first ornament to test the Sweeper’s stupidity and it works. He followed the sound so Jonghyun turned back to Kibum and urged him to move for the exit. _
> 
> _The entire process worked until Jonghyun slipped and crashed to the floor. _
> 
> _“Fuck!” Kibum swore and the Sweeper made a mad dash for them. The Sweeper gets between Jonghyun and Kibum. _
> 
> _“You’re not even coming back to this auction house tomorrow. I’m going to sell you to a mafia household. They’ll pay to break something like you for fun.” He growled before Jonghyun threw a vase at the Sweeper’s head. _
> 
> _Jonghyun was slipping and sliding across the water but he scooped Kibum up, “We’re getting the fuck out right now before anything else happens.” He huffed, carrying the injured boy in his arms. _
> 
> _We’re almost out, Kibummie.” Jonghyun grinned at him, his jet black hair stuck to his forehead and his grey eyes hidden behind crinkled half-moon eyes._
> 
> _There moment of relief is shattered when Jonghyun falls forward as the Sweeper shoots at Jonghyun’s shoulder, sending the two of them crashing into a large glass wall. Jonghyun has half a mind through the pain to clutch Kibum close so the glass doesn’t hurt him. _
> 
> _Jonghyun landed on his back and he can feel his shoulder burning with a hole in it, the blood gushing as well as the burning slices of glass in his back, he can feel it digging into his skin but he has Kibum curled into his chest and mostly sheltered from the raining glass. _
> 
> _He found the will to at least get them into the hallway and out of the private room before he slumped against the wall._
> 
> _“Jonghyun! What the actual fuck? You just got shot!” Kibum sounded frantic as he was staring at the exit wound of the bullet. It’s just under his collarbone but it’s ugly and bleeding profusely. _
> 
> _Kibum pressed down with wet shaky hands. _
> 
> _“We still need to leave.” Jonghyun coughed, arching his back to get rid of the pain and trying to get up. _
> 
> _“Don’t fucking move.” Kibum scolded. _
> 
> _Jonghyun sighed, “We have to move. Ugly will be back for you.” _
> 
> _“I’ll kill him.” Kibum growled. _
> 
> _“Fine by me.” The older laughed before groaning for jarring his body. _
> 
> _It was then Jonghyun noticed the Sweeper with a wine bottle in hand. He had raised it to smash it over Kibum’s head but Jonghyun threw himself forward, flooring Kibum under him and pulling the teenager against him as the bottle smashed against the back of Jonghyun’s neck. _
> 
> _Kibum gasped because it’s the last thing he sees before he screams in agony and shuts his eyes under Jonghyun, crying out in agony. _
> 
> _“Fuck… Kibum…” Jonghyun can’t comprehend but he was stilled curled over the crying Kibum. _
> 
> _A single gunshot it heard. _
> 
> _“That is quite enough.” An older man’s voice was heard and Jonghyun blurrily makes out two men – no, a man and what looks to be his son standing there. Jonghyun turned back to find the Sweeper dead at his feet._
> 
> _“You’re one of the buyers.” Jonghyun huffed. _
> 
> _“I am.”_
> 
> _“Don’t take him.” He curled Kibum tighter to him, despite the teenager sobbing against Jonghyun’s chest._
> 
> _“What would you have me do then?” The question was almost mocking._
> 
> _It doesn’t matter because Jonghyun all but crawled over to the man, “Help him, please. There is glass in his eyes. He’s going to go blind. Please. Help him.” Jonghyun stood to his full height, staggering with the aftermath of being shot._
> 
> _“What of you, young man?” The man asked. _
> 
> _“I can fix myself. He needs help.” Jonghyun informed._
> 
> _“Then I shall arrange for help… Hakyeon,” The man turned to his son, “Get help for them.”_
> 
> _“What’s your name, sir? I will repay you for your kindness for helping Kibum.”_
> 
> _“Cha Jae Wook.” He offered. _
> 
> _“Jae Wook-sshi. We’ll discuss this matter another day. I will find you.” _
> 
> _But Jonghyun doesn’t get ten steps before he collapsed and passed out from the pain. _

Kibum always felt the phantom twinge in his left eye whenever he stepped foot into Elysium auctions. It was more frequent as of late. 

He wasn’t sure if he could pin it on how often the Emperor was making them more involved with Elysium or whether it was because he could see so much of Jonghyun manifesting in Sehun every single time they had encountered the man. 

But finally he could pin it on both. 

He sat there watching the Slaver Kings – minus Lee Jaehwan – discuss the evening’s bid. Lee Hongbin looked the most excited by far but that didn’t mean the others weren’t up for the challenge to torment the most zeal Slaver King of the lot for a bid. His gaze shifted to the one named Kim Ravi – he was sure that was the right hand they were supposed to off but he surprised them and handed over Bang Household to the Emperor’s Sons after killing his best friend.

But Kibum couldn’t focus – his entire axis was balancing on Sehun and the blonde man was not relaxed at all. He had far too many knots to appear relaxed. His shoulders were too tight and his jaw had a tick in it. Kim Kai next to Sehun was offering no help either – he was all too entirely lax. 

He had been so deep in thought that he hadn’t noticed that Cha Hakyeon was trying to get his attention until he had slid over a glass of wine to him. 

“What seems to have you rapt, Kibummie?” Hakyeon asked playfully, obviously intrigued by his normally aloof friend being wrapped up in his own head. 

“It’s nothing. Something doesn’t feel right…” 

“Kibum, I thought you were way past feeling like this. Is the auction bringing back bad memories?” 

“No. It has been ten years, Hyung. I am not that scared teenager anymore.” 

“No… indeed, you aren’t but I still see that bruised boy who woke up in my Manor the next morning after, frantic because he couldn’t find his saviour. Are you that antsy when Jonghyun isn’t around?” 

“Jjong has a bad habit of getting into trouble no matter what he does.” 

“It’s almost funny the way you rein him in all the time… what is he truly capable of when not being watched over…” 

“Nothing pretty. The Emperor found us in bad shape. It was probably two years after we left your Manor. It was fun serving the Cha Household but we had no interest back then.” 

“No, you didn’t, I guess. My father was entirely wrapped up in trying to reinvent the Sweeper system at that time wasn’t he?”

“Yes. And here we are with you leading it all.” 

Hakyeon snorted, “Hardly. The boys are very entertaining and I just like to drink here. If anything everyone knows Jaehwan will take Elysium from me and I will have no qualms.”

“Hmm… Jaehwan does have the… knack for this business.”

“Are you saying that as a Dragon and you mean business or are you saying that as someone who was once a slave?” Hakyeon cut his gaze from his wine to Kibum. 

“What does it matter? I’m only here to overlook the night and see if you are earning enough money for the Emperor.” Kibum huffed, draining his flute. 

“I just want to know because you don’t stop watching over Oh Sehun.” Hakyeon smiled lazily. 

“It’s complicated, Hyung.” 

Hakyeon was about to comment further when Kibum’s phone grabbed the Dragon’s attention. He pulled the phone out of his pocket. 

_Jjong: Problem. Need you to call me when it’s safe_. 

“Excuse me, Hyung,” Kibum mumbled as he exited the booth, watching Sehun tense up and leave to the outdoor balcony. 

Kibum walked to the bar and ordered and waited, watching Sehun pace frantically as he pulled out the earpiece from his ear and swear. He pulled out a cigarette and lit up, stress smoking. 

The raven haired Dragon finally made his way out onto the balcony as well and proceeded to take the extreme corner where he was sure that no one would be listening to him – not that anyone would dare. He hit Jonghyun’s contact to dial him. 

“Key! Finally! Listen… we’ve got a problem. Sehun’s little toy is back and apparently she got caught by Jaehwan.” Key turned back slowly and found Jaehwan slipping back into his seat, absolutely calm as he asked for a new wine glass. 

“He just got back to the booth. Is this tied to why Sehun is stress smoking on the balcony?” Key asked, peering to the left where Sehun was steadily puffing while fidgeting with his phone. 

“Possibly. She doesn’t want to say much.”

“Well, what has she told you so far?”

“It’s complicated to explain right now but Jiya has been drugged. Not against her will.”

“Oh for fuck sakes.” Key clucked his tongue, “He just had to find the one chick that was just as suicidal as him on these missions. Bring her back to the booth. It may get worse if she just doesn’t come back. Get her to Sehun. I’ll inform him, we’re both on the balcony.”

Key heard Jonghyun gasp and some shuffling, “Don’t tell him. I’ll tell him. But not now.” Jiya insisted as she took the phone from Jonghyun.

“Are you in any place to give orders?”

“Are we in any place to create panic? Clearly Jaehwan wants to mess with Sehun. I can’t let him think he won against Sehun.” 

“Were they onto you from the start?” 

“Possibly… but it doesn’t matter. I’ve done my part. If he really does want to hurt Sehun, take Sehun and Kai and get out of here.”

“And you?”

“I’m a smart girl. I can think of something.”

“While being drugged?”

“I have a time limit of like two hours tops. I can work with that. He’ll want to draw this out so I just have to be mindful. Use me if you have to.” Jiya huffed. 

Key whistled low, “She’s crazy, Hyung.” He commented before ringing off and headed over to Sehun. 

* * *

Kim Kai was not having a good time. He was currently dealing with five sets of eyes on him. Jaehwan had slipped into the booth about five minutes prior to his interrogation came to surface because of Ravi trying to talk to him without Jaehwan around. 

“Kim Ravi.” Kai retorted curtly, finally addressing the man who had called his name. 

“Oh. Well, well … it isn’t every day that the Lee Household personally acknowledges anyone… let alone the Master’s right hand. Is Kim Kai another friend, Ravi?” Jaehwan grinned, swirling the dark red wine around in his glass. 

“Yes.”

“So selfish… No wonder you look so thrilled to see him.” There was something vicious in Jaehwan’s words as his wine stained lips quirked before he lifted his glass to them, watching Ravi over the rim of his glass. 

Ravi had looked sick as he turned to Jaehwan. 

“Kai is the friend that Sehun spoke of the last time he was here.” Ravi mentioned timidly, trying to hide his gaze under the mess of silver bangs falling into his eyes, “I haven’t seen Kai since I was taken in by you, Jaehwan…” Ravi looked ashamed and has the sense to look away from Kai as he explained. 

“You mean after you killed Bang Yong Guk?” Jaehwan asked, raising an eyebrow at how it tied to Ravi and Kai because he knows it goes beyond their link of being in the Mafia. He doesn’t pay attention to how Ravi violently flinched and refused to make eye contact with anyone in their booth.

“How cruel of the three of you!” Hongbin interrupted with a chuckle, “You all played this intense little game as an inside joke right in front of us. How deliciously devious of you, Ravi… I didn’t think you could play such a game.” Hongbin’s voice boomed as he grabbed the bottle from Jaehwan, filling his flute to the brim. 

He seemed a little more than intoxicated in his expression and Kai was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the wine. 

Hongbin flashed a sweet smile, complete with dimples popping in both his cheeks, before he pressed the rim of his glass against his lower lip, watching with sharp gleaming eyes and Kai felt the inkling that Hongbin’s sweetness was merely the surface, there was something dead in Hongbin’s bright eyes and that was very telling of his true nature. He was all too polished from his slicked plume teased hair to the gleaming fine chains on his navy pinstripe suit. 

“Nonsense, Hongbin. Ravi was bred by the mafia. If anything, they should be able to surprise us in the most _interesting_ of ways. It’s just like them to have such arrogance to hide things right under our noses for the night…” Jaehwan tilted his head in Kai’s direction with a mean sneer on his face.

Kai felt his blood run cold, having a knowing feeling that Jaehwan had been on to them.

“You’re scaring them, Hyungs.” 

And that was when Kai felt himself lose years on his own lifespan. _Was there someone younger than all of them collectively? Someone younger than Sehun himself? _

That was when Kai turned to Hyuk, the vampire looking kid who barely looked legal with his slicked back hair and plush duck lips. He had dressed well and overwhelmed his hyungs with his height and built but the youth in face made Kai ill. He reminded Kai of Youngjae or rather what Youngjae could turn into. 

The crisp cut of his suit and the sharpness of his undercut couldn’t hide the fact that he was too young to be a Slaver King. Han Sanghyuk was a young man who should have no wisdom in a slaving business but there he sat trading barbs with Lee Jaehwan. 

“Oh… Hyukkie… you’re too cute. I think you don’t know what it is when Jaehwan wants to scare someone.” Cha Hakyeon commented, while lazily adjusting the cuff of his white puffy sleeved silk shirt.

“Hyung… you make me seem like a vile monster but I am far from it.” Jaehwan playfully whined, but gave Kai a sick grin, “We wouldn’t want to scare off our friends from the mafia, isn’t that right, Kim Kai?” 

“You’re playing up all your charms, Jaehwan-sshi… is there something you need from me?”

Jaehwan barked hearty laughter.

“I really like you, Kim Kai. If there are more people like you in the Mafia then I guess striking the deal with the Emperor’s Sons was a good one since we’ll be playing host to you guys far more often.”

“We did fund your division at one stage. I didn’t see enough profit in it for us.” Kai commented flippantly. 

“I can understand that. Elysium has been an _indulgent_ project for the five – well, six now that Ravi is joining - the six of us. We aren’t really aren’t about profiting – not to say that our toys don’t fetch a good price but there is a degree of maintenance and care required and I value the quality we deliver so yes the Mafia did drop us.”

“You sound bitter.”

“I am a businessman, Kai. I will always be sore when it comes to money or goods that I didn’t get to profit on.” Jaehwan’s smile is sharp and leaves the air frigid with the knowing of his wicked meaning behind his words. 

“You haven’t missed much.”

“I haven’t learned much of the Undercity Mafia in that time either. I am seeing an opportunity missed.” Jaehwan hinted at something dangerous. He’s a man who values knowledge. 

“Don’t mind him, Kai. He’s just bitter from the last time that Sehun had walked into Elysium.” Hongbin waved off Jaehwan’s frigid attitude as he sipped wine lazily. 

Kai says nothing but quirks an eyebrow at Hongbin, quizzically. 

“I assume Sehun didn’t tell you about what happened the last time he was here, right?” Hongbin laughed gleefully, “I can’t understand why when Jae here is the one with a bruised ego. It was quite the scene. Jaehwan had pulled his gun on Sehun but Sehun had threatened him with a table knife. It was really funny until the Dragons intervened. Apparently we were being rough.” Hongbin pouted. 

“The Dragons were right – they were being rough. Our business suffered that night… thinking our new stock wasn’t trained.” Jung Leo had spoken up from beside Hakyeon, leaning forward to inspect Kai. Kai had felt a little intimidated by his fierce expression by his thick eyebrows as his hair had been pushed off his forehead and side swept as he donned a simple dress shirt and navy satin waistcoat for the night. 

“Ehh… don’t be like that Hyung… We’ve opened up an entirely new channel of the market where they require unpolished goods.” Jaehwan brushed off Leo’s words. 

“True… and dealing drugs here courtesy of the Emperor himself has brought in new investors.” Hakyeon commented. 

Jaehwan’s face wrinkled his features, “I’m still against it being so open on our operating floor but it does wonders with the little pets and toys.” 

Kai keeps his face neutral despite the disgust churning internally. He never liked the human trafficking rings. He felt a little better knowing that Lee Household had only funded it and not actually run it – a lesser evil at the back of his mind. 

“We could always look for a better way to administer and privatise the use of it on your operating floor…” Kai mentioned. 

Hakyeon gave a light laugh, “He’s ever ready to profit for his Household, isn’t he?” 

“It’s a win-win situation, is it not? I profit further and you get to refine the experience of the Elysium into something more tasteful.” Kai flashed a smirk. 

Jaehwan gave a throaty chuckle, “He just may make me want to keep him for myself. I’ll start an Elysium Household solely to play games with you Kim Kai.” 

“I don’t think my Master would like that very much. We don’t play well with others.” Kai sneered.

“Ugh… I leave for a few minutes and you’re still promoting your Master like a good little lapdog, Kai…” Key huffed as he steered a Sehun back to the booth, setting him down next to Kai before leaning in to whisper into Kai’s ear, “If you don’t want another broken wrist, play along.” Key threatened and Kai stiffened but still flashed a smile outwardly. 

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but our inner circle has some space. We’re looking for young blood.” 

“And you’re trying to steal back everyone that we have worked so hard to recruit?” Key scoffed. 

“Surely you can’t be mad at me for being this blaise about it…” Kai sniggered. 

“Something has changed in these last few weeks, Kim Kai. I like it.” Key gave a dangerous smile. 

“We may consider. More funding means bigger business for us.” Jaehwan mused. 

But it was then that Jonghyun had returned with Jiya in tow. 

“Oh Sehun!” He called out and Sehun whirled in his seat to find Jonghyun pulling a resisting Jiya by her wrist toward them. The Dragon has her skirt in his other hand while he towed the pretty slave back to their booth, “I think this kitten belongs to you.” He gave a wicked laugh before he used his force to propel Jiya forward. 

She yelped and landed in Sehun’s arms. 

“Sorry, Sehun.” Jiya hurried her words.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re back with me…” He cupped her face and rubbed his thumbs across her cheekbones. He frowned when he felt how warm her skin has been. 

Jaehwan had been watching carefully, the way Jiya retreated in the space between Sehun’s legs as she rested her head on his thigh before he spoke. Sehun had delved his hand into her hair at the top of her head before running his fingers through before her hair slipped through his digits. He frowned again but still paid no mind to Jiya.

“There you are, Jjong,” Jaehwan says in a carefully measured tone, gauging how everyone in the booth was regarding him, “I was beginning to wonder where you had wandered off to for the night. I was almost worried that I had we had disappointed you. I can’t have you running off and telling the Emperor that my evening was a failure when we haven’t even rolled out the merchandise for the evening bid.”

“You make it sound like I was out on a stroll…” Jonghyun grinned. 

“You mean you weren’t?” Jaehwan gave a knowing smile. It’s tight and laced with malicious intent.

“Not at all. Kittens are often scared in new environments and have a tendency to try and run to a hiding spot. I had to chase her down.” Jonghyun explained in an offhand manner. 

“A run away easily becomes a stray and I believe I would be as generous as to squander my fortune on pretty strays – so much defiance and so many rough edges to polish… I would almost give anything to have Sehun’s little pet on the bid list.” Hongbin grinned, trying to provoke Sehun, noting how Sehun’s grip became possessive as it tightened around Jiya’s shoulder.

“I am not for sale. I have a Master.” Jiya snipped. 

“Now now, Hongbin. You can’t force our friend to sell his only toy. Do you remember what happened when you had bet your best doll against me and lost?” Jaehwan chided Hongbin before he tilted his head, noticing Jiya fidgeting.

“Oh but we can’t have your pet on the floor, Sehun… let her sit next to me…” Jaehwan leaned forward, watching Jiya with a mean grin on his face. 

“Master… I don’t want to.” Jiya pouted. 

“You spoil her…” Jaehwan raised an eyebrow. 

“Sometimes you have to coax Jiya to get something from her…” Sehun gave a smirk, running his knuckles down the curve of her tilted cheek, as she nuzzled against his thigh. 

“Get up, Jiya.” He commanded softly. 

Jiya had got up but staggered and Jaehwan was quick to wrap his hand around her bicep to steady her. 

He closed the space between him and Jiya, puffing a hot breath down the column of her neck. It made her shut her eyes and squeeze them as Jaehwan’s voice sunk into her warped senses. His mouth brushed against her ear, completely hiding what he was saying from Sehun and Kai’s sight.

“Given your lack of resistance, I take it that you’re starting to feel uncomfortable and hot? Feeling sleepy yet? If you’re planning to run away, you should hurry before you lose feeling in your muscles.” 

“Congrats. Are you pleased yet?” Jiya whispered before shooting him a weak glare. 

“That is quite the fierce look. I like it.” Jaehwan gripped her chin and angled it as if examining her glare. 

“You do?” Jonghyun asked.

“Absolutely… I’d want to break it.” Jaehwan tightened his grip on Jiya’s jaw.

“Are we teaching her a lesson in front of her Master?” Jonghyun flicked out his blade, side eyeing Sehun with a smirk. 

Jiya looked at the blade before looking back to Jaehwan. 

“Not at all. It would be too messy that way, Jjong.” Jaehwan chuckled, watching her, “Haven’t you noticed? Poor thing looks parched.” 

Jiya looked frantic, a wide eyed stare where her pupils were blown with fear, as she gripped onto Jaehwan’s wrist but he doesn’t acknowledge her, brushing her off as he made a reach for the wine bottle on the table.

He filled his own flute and slid it toward Jiya, not caring for the way it sloshed about.

“Drink, little pet.” Jaehwan taunted her. 

Jiya trembled, feeling anger line her. Jaehwan had told her about the alcohol mixing her cocktail on purpose. It was all part of his game to toy with her further. 

_Like hell he’s going to win this round… _

“Oh ho, I like her if she can hold her drink.” Hongbin watched earnestly as she took the flute into her grasp. 

“I can’t drink this…” Jiya mumbled softly and the flute slipped right out of her grasp, the feeling in her fingers lost on her control and crashed into shards at her feet.

Jaehwan shook his head before laughing a little, “Let’s try this again, pet.” He reached out and swiped his arm over a portion of the low table, clearing the glasses and bottles, sending them crashing to the floor. He stood up, noticing how everyone was watching. 

“Up on the table, pet.” He ordered. 

“Master Jaehwan… what is the meaning of this?” 

“We’re playing a game, Jiya… I want to see something.” He knocked back part of the wine straight from the bottle in his hand before he handed it over to her. 

“Aside from perfect dolls… I look for two other talents in them… I like them to be able to drink and they need to be talented enough to entertain me so you either drink or you dance for me.”

“I don’t dance.” Jiya hissed.

“Pity… You’d be pretty as a dancer too.” He sniffed, “You can have her, Jjong. Make her match Sehun.” He grinned. 

She watched the Dragon toying with his knife, feeling her panic making her head pound. 

“Wait! Master, Jaehwan, I’ll drink it.” 

“Impress me, doll,” He commanded as he pressed the bottle into her hands. Jiya’s hands shake but she clutched to the bottle neck desperately, fearing what may happen to her if she does drink. 

Jiya hesitated. 

“Is something wrong, pet?” 

“Jaehwan…” Sehun urged the Slaver King to curb his attitude in a strained tone. 

“Oh hush, Sehun… you’re far too lenient with her. You’d never be able to train her if she keeps up this attitude. I believe your little pet doesn’t understand fear… let alone pain.” Hongbin piped up, his bright eyes practically glittering with amusement and excitement. 

“Fuck you, Lee Jaehwan.” Jiya growled as she upturned the bottle on Jaehwan’s hair before she had hopped down to the floor and dashed for the exit but Jonghyun had caught her around the waist

“My my, I certainly hadn’t expected her to dump the wine on me. What are we to do with her, Jjong?” 

“She’s mine to deal with. I believe this will be entertaining.” Jonghyun grinned as he slipped out of the booth and hoisted Jiya over his shoulder. 

“LET ME GO!” Jiya protested angrily as she kicked and thrashed but Jonghyun carries her out of the Elysium club. 

“Fuck.” Sehun swore and made a start to run after her but Key tried to stop him.

“Oh Sehun stop right there!” 

“No!” Sehun snarled, “I need to go get her.” Sehun sighed.

“Ravi will fetch her for you, won’t you, Ravi?” Jaehwan instructed lightly, running his hand through his wine drenched hair as he stood, “Let the auction go on as planned but cancel the King’s bid. We shall not pump money into this little even tonight.”

“Is there a reason, Hyung?” Hyuk asked softly.

“We’re having a meeting tomorrow morning to discuss that.” Jaehwan ordered before leaving the booth. 

“Oh Sehun… you have a thirty minute head start to leave my party before I unleash my security on you and I will have you dragged to the Emperor while I auction off your little pet between the six of us and I know for a fact Ravi doesn’t have the pocket to save her from the five of us.” 

“What are you playing at, Jaehwan?” Sehun asked. 

“I don’t want the mafia fucking with my business any further than it already has and you have the nerve to walk in here with a mafia executive and an informant to play dress up. You better hide that pet of yours because I will take her when I find her.” Jaehwan walked off with the four other Slaver Kings tailing after him.

* * *

Kai ran after Sehun, who had Key hot on his tails but he had stopped dead when Key had threw a knife down the hallway and stopped Sehun from taking the emergency stairwell. 

“I said stop! Do you have any fucking idea what’s going on?” 

“Jiya is going to get hurt.” 

“Whom the fuck do you think is going after her, Sehun?” Key snarled as he pushed the brat up against the wall, “There you go again being a fucking magnet for trouble. What the hell were you thinking feeding right to the lions? Not everyone is built like us so they don’t walk away unscathed but you sent her!” Key stood at his full height, glaring at Sehun as he breathed pure fury at the younger man. 

“Don’t undermine Jiya. She’s stronger than you credit her.” The blonde had scowled furiously. 

“Am I? She’s been terrified all night and when she came back… didn’t you notice shit?” 

“Of course I noticed. She has been drugged. That’s why I’m running after her. I need to get to her. She needs my help.” 

Key stepped back and ran a hand through his hair before he swore. 

“You’re just like him and it fucking frustrates me to no end!” Key exploded as he raged at Sehun with growled words. 

Sehun stopped entirely for a moment, staring blankly, “What do you mean?”

“You’re fucking emulating Jjong! I can see it in you and you won’t stop to think about yourself for two fucking seconds. Jaehwan was this fucking close to killing you but the only thing you’re concerned about blowing your cover for Jiya!”

“That’s what a team is supposed to do, Key.” Sehun huffed. 

“Don’t fucking lecture me about that.” He shoved at Sehun once more to keep the brat planted to the wall. 

Key stopped and took a deep breath. 

“Look…” Key sighed and swept his hair away from his face and undid the thin leather tie of his eyepatch revealing the misty violet eye. 

Sehun’s eyes went wide in shock, “Your eye… It looks fine.” 

“Yeah. I was born like this and I was almost sold because of it. I met Hyung that night I was supposed to be sold and he saved me but in the process we were too young and too inexperienced so when he tried to cover me, I ended up with glass shards in my eye so I’m blind in one eye.” Key gave a bitter breathy laugh – its short and clipped. 

“Jjong was willing to risk everything for me and yet he carries the guilt of half my eyesight. That why we became the Dragons. He didn’t want us to lose anything more. And he sees that in you and he wouldn’t dare discourage you despite his own guilt…” 

“Why?” Sehun asked quietly. 

“Because he thinks you’re stronger than him. You survived, remember.” Key scoffed, trying to fix his eyepatch back in place.

“I survived to get even with the bastards who carved me…” Sehun spoke slowly, “Yet you’re helping me…” 

“Don’t get it twisted. We’re doing this for a very particular reason and we need you alive for a little longer before you’re no longer our issue. I will wash my hands of you one day, Oh Sehun.”

“I look forward to the day when I am not harassed by Dragons.” Sehun smiled. 

It was then Sehun heard static in his earpiece. 

“Jiya… Jiya. Can you hear me?” Sehun tested his comm device on her. 

_“Sehun… fuck, I’m so sorry… I know I messed things up but… I just couldn’t.”_ Jiya’s frantic voice reached both Kai and Sehun. 

“Shh… it’s fine. I know you couldn’t. Where are you? Are you with Jjong? We need to leave like now.” 

_“I’m already on my way down with him. We need to find Kai. Apparently he was supposed to be with Key.”_

“But I’m with Key,” Sehun bit on his lip, “Fuck… where is he?”

_“Try and find him but also try and make it to the basement floor. Jjong said Key knows the way.”_

“Okay…” 

_“I’ll see you then…” _

“Hey Jiya.”

_“Yeah?” _

“Are you okay?”

_“I’m okay. Just hurry and find Kai. I need to grill his ass about him being the problematic one.”_ Jiya snickered before she cut her contact with him. 

“We need to find Kai.” Sehun turned to Key.

“No problem…” Key pulled out his phone, flipping through his contacts. 

“**What’s this? We don’t talk for years and now you want to chit chat, Kibummie?” **

“Shut up, Hakyeon… Tell me where’s Ravi?” 

**“The little Dobermann isn’t around. I do believe I saw him with Kai.” **

“Any particular direction that you want to point me in?” 

**“The Emperor?”** He tittered smugly. 

“Nice talking to you, Hyung.” 

**“No… it’s been my utter pleasure. Please feel free to depend on Hyung anytime soon.”** Hakyeon drawled happily. 

Key cut the call without saying anything further. 

“Kai just may be in trouble with Ravi.” 

* * *

_An abandoned level of the Oasis Towers above Elysium: _

“What in ever loving fuck is the meaning of this, Ravi?” Kai huffed, staring down the gun that was being pointed at his face. 

“The Emperor would want it this way but I don’t want to hand you over.” He gave Kai a wide eye stare before he dropped his gun. 

“Then what are we doing here?” 

“I’m here to urge you. Gather the Mafia – well, what’s left of it. The Yakuza is coming. Yong Guk told me.” 

“Before he died?” 

“No. He isn’t dead. He made it seem like that to collect information.”

“A kamikaze operation?” 

“Yes. We’ve been kept in the dark since all our ties to the Yakuza has been cut. We need to prepare. The Emperor has been targeting them and I think he plans to use the Mafia as his safety net.”

“We can’t let this happen.” Kai hummed, thinking of what to do. 

“Well, yes. But how will you achieve that.” 

“Sehun and I are working on it.” Kai shifted his gaze to Ravi. 

“Will you aid me when the time comes?” 

“Not yet. I need you to push for the Sit Down. Let it happen. There are other parties that you haven’t thought of who are willing to join and that will only happen if the Sit Down happens.” 

“Fuck it… You’re talking about pseudo alliances. I’ve been avoiding that since these murders started. It’s the perfect scenario to have us all murdered either by some cut corner deal or the Emperor’s Sons.” Kai muttered. 

“It’s up to you, Kai. I do believe you have to leave now. But I have my role here and I know my options – they will only grow if you’re open enough to get the mafia to cooperate with each other. It has been too independent for far too long.” Ravi hummed. 

“You’re really betting all on Bang Yong Guk.” Kai’s mouth lifts at the corners.

“It’s not like I can place all my faith in Lee Jaehwan, now can I?” Ravi gave a sheepish smile. 

“No, you can’t.” Kai pressed his lips into a tight thin line, “Now how do I get out from here?”

“There’s an old elevator on this floor that leads to the basement – it’s probably where the Dragons are housing Sehun and Jiya.” Ravi pointed the way. 

“Thanks, Ravi.” 

“Get going, Kim Kai. The Mafia is counting on you.” 

“I really wish it wasn’t.” He sighed and entered the elevator. 

* * *

"At this fucking rate, these Dragons will know every single fucking safe house we have in this city.” Sehun griped as he scooped Jiya up in his arms and got off the large Range Rover. They had barely made it to the safe house on the outskirts of the HUB where Luhan had been hiding out all this time. 

“Bathroom. Now.” Sehun had asked very calmly when he burst in through Luhan’s door. 

“First left.” Luhan murmured and watched Sehun dart out of the space with Jiya in his arms and only until they heard the bathroom door shut did Kai speak. 

“She’s been drugged. She seems to know what to do when put in such a situation but the dosage seems stronger than what she can handle – Sehun wouldn’t let her out of his reach. It’s going to be difficult tolerating how impulsive he will be tonight until the effects pass. I apologise for the way we’re crashing into the safe house.” Kai shared with a pained look.

“It’s better than the last time I had you guys holed up in a safe house with me.”

“Well… I guess your first meeting with Jiya wasn’t the smoothest...”

“She seems as chaotic as Sehun.” Luhan went bug eyed with a hushed whisper. 

“Not as chaotic… far more bratty than him though.”

“So what happened for her to get drugged?”

“She took one for Sehun. Apparently she got us out of not being gunned down by Slaver Kings tonight. We were long gone before they tried to chase us or kill us.”

“And she got drugged as a result? I need to phone Yixing. We need to work that crap out of her system!” 

“Relax. The drug den Sehun and I worked for often abused with being drugged as punishment. A kid I knew had nerve impairment in her arm after a near overdose – too many needles in too many wrong places but we took care of her. Just tell me where to locate all your clean towels and blankets. She’s probably under a type of relaxant and sense impairment combination drug, given all the trembling she had been doing and the delayed responses to everything that’s happening around her. It’s going to give her fever so Sehun’s going to break her fever first before she snaps out of the daze – she may not remember much when she wakes.” 

Luhan looked a little pale at the dark meaning behind the information that Kai had shared easily. 

* * *

In the bathroom, Sehun was trying to deal with Jiya fighting against him as he was pulling off all her jewellery but she was feeling too hot with being pressed against his body. 

“Let go. I need to…” She climbed into the bathtub before letting the cold water run over her body still fully dressed. 

“Fuck… Okay, babe, c’mon… that can’t be comfortable for you.” He spoke in a low tone to not alarm her but Jiya was still trying to be responsive – she lolled her head along the rim of the tub in his direction, fluttering her eyelids to open them but she ended up slumping further into the tub at an awkward angle. 

Sehun approached slowly and ran his hand through her semi-wet hair, pushing it off her face. 

“Too hot. Don’t touch.” She mumbled, lifting a limp hand to swat at his touch. He hissed between his teeth at the heated touch in comparison to the frigid temperature of the water. 

“This isn’t going to help you.” Sehun sat on the edge of the bath and opened the hot water tap to make the water lukewarm.

“Don’t… I… pass out…Fuck... I’m sleepy.” Jiya mumbled under her breath.

“Muscle relaxant… Slow acting sedative…” Sehun scowled as he poured water over Jiya’s body. 

“Mhm. Legs… were… asleep. Jjong… helped.” Jiya rambled on but flailed a hand as she tried to reach for Sehun. “Falling.” 

Sehun pulled off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves before he stepped into the tub with little care for his suit pants and dress shoes. He had moved Jiya until she was seated between his legs, completely supported by him as he shut the water off until they were sitting in a shallow pool of water as he washed her off with the hand held shower head. 

“C’mon babe… we need to break this fever. Don’t fall asleep on me yet.”

“Sleep…sound. Nice.” Jiya hummed, trying to nuzzle against him. 

He sighed, letting her rest limply against him, “Yeah I know you’re tired. You can rest but you have to stay awake and answer my questions or I’m sticking you in a hot shower.” 

“Not hot.” Jiya huffed. 

“Did this drug make you throw up?” 

She shook her head.

“Is it hard trying to talk to me? Thick tongue feeling?” 

Jiya hummed as Sehun ran more water down her arms.

“Who did this to you, babe?” 

At first Jiya doesn’t respond and Sehun was certain that she has blacked out on him but then he hears her strained broken voice, “Lee Jaehwan… bastard.” 

“Must I deal with it for you?” 

“No. Mine.” 

“Did you know he was drugging you?”

Jiya shook her head again and Sehun almost misunderstood her but Jiya spoke again, “He didn’t. I knew. I took it. Myself. We had a deal.” 

Sehun stilled, utterly shattered at the knowledge – why would Jiya risk herself like that especially in the presence of someone like a Slaver who could have hurt her in the worst way. 

He had pulled out his hanky from his pocket, thankful that it was soaked through with cool water before he applied it to her forehead. 

“Ugly make up.” Jiya gave a breathy snort. 

“You’re still pretty if that’s what you’re concerned about.” Sehun chuckled as he ran cool water over Jiya’s shoulders, pleased with the faint twitch – she should start feeling cold if it’s finally making her react.

“Pretty sleepy... Sehun.” Jiya’s head lolled again and her temple was pressed against his jawline as she rested against his chest. 

“A little longer… just until you feel cold – then we can get out of the bath.” Sehun urged her as he kicked off the plug from the drain to run fresh lukewarm water over her body again. 

He hosed down her body a few more times until she hissed against his neck and he felt her body tremble as the chill ran up her spine, “Cold.”

“Good girl… we broke the fever. I’ll dry you off and then we'll get some warm clothes.” He urged quietly and Jiya gave no response because she had passed out, despite chattering against the cold that enveloped her body immediately. 

He snapped on the water to a warm temperature and warmed them up until Jiya was fussing against him in her drug induced sleep. 

He held onto Jiya and rested his head against the wall of the bath, “You did it, baby girl. You saved us and we’re one step closer to finding Princess for Kai.” He shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around Jiya tighter for the moment, trying to unwind all his frazzled nerves for the moment. 

He wasn’t sure how long he was there with Jiya but judging by the cool air sweeping over them and biting their skin – it had been a while. He must have managed forty winks in the process because Kai’s knocking on the bathroom door woke him up. 

“Come in… we’re still in here.” Sehun called out.

“I figured you’d be doing something as ridiculous as taking care of her by yourself.” Kai snorted softly, bringing in clean towels and two blankets. 

“She was priority. She would have drowned because she was trying to get in the tub by herself. Apparently she took a hefty mix of a sedative and a muscle relaxant – she’s aware of everything but she couldn’t exactly react – but she was fighting it quite a bit.” Sehun sighed and reached for a towel and began to wipe down Jiya’s face and arms. 

“I’ve come to tell you that Luhan hyung ran the programme… His search is complete.” Kai informed quietly.

“What were the results?” Sehun urged Kai, looking a little frantic. 

“No sign of Lee Min in Fantasia.” Kai sighed, making no eye contact with Sehun.

There was a heavy silence lingering in the air before either man spoke.

“Fuck…” Sehun breathed out, stilling the way he was wrapping the towel around Jiya, “Kai, I am so sorry.” 

“Why the fuck are you apologising to me?”

“I’m not entirely sure how to process this. I mean, I don’t know if I’m relieved that Princess wasn’t in their system. But at the same time… where do we look now?” Sehun looked to Kai, feeling a little lost and overwhelmed.

“You’re concerned about continuing this search for Min after all the unnecessary mess I created. Jiya got drugged and you called in your favours with the Dragons – you won’t get that back, not when you need it the most.” 

“I did use it when I needed it the most – Jiya told me that Jjong was helping her. I’d hate to imagine what would have happened to her if they weren’t there… and as for Jiya getting drugged… that’s my baggage to carry. I forced her – I bribed and took advantage of our feelings to twist her wrist for this. I’ll make it up to her… that is if she doesn’t want to see me again when she recovers from this.” 

Kai bit his lip, feeling at a loss.

“How severe was it?” He finally piped up. 

“Impaired senses and drowsiness to the point of black out – it will pass through her body overnight but she’ll feel massive pain and something akin to a hangover tomorrow and amnesia is unlikely but a possibility.” Sehun rattled off the guess of her condition. “Can you get clothes sorted for us? I need to get out and I’ll take her to one of the empty rooms to at least get her into a pair of sweats. She’s going to catch a cold as a cherry on top at this rate.”

“Sure… But, Sehun… there are two more things I need to tell you about.” Kai sighed and decided to look at Sehun. 

“Tell me.” Sehun frowned. 

“I reported back to the Master… We’re calling for a Sit Down.” 

“Oh my fucking god.” Sehun gaped like a goldfish, “Are you fucking serious? Will the rest of the Mafia be ready to join a Sit Down?” 

“We’ve been declining the urge for a sit down since these murders started in the Undercity to prevent all of us from getting annihilated all in one spot but the Master must be past giving a fuck about that if he has decided and agreed to do it.” 

“That means we’re heading back to the Manor?”

“No, he wants to do it in the Undercity. We’ll be using one of our turf locations to secure the meeting and concentrate the security for everyone.”

“Holy fuck…” Sehun looked a little dazed at the new information. 

“Sehun… I know this seems like one thing after another but I will need you there if the Sit Down is legit.” 

“I wasn’t going to wait for you to ask me. I’m by your side regardless of what comes. I mean I don’t have anything important to lose,” He looked down to Jiya as he said that and Kai catches the mirthless snort. 

“Sehun…” 

Sehun cuts him off immediately. He doesn’t want Kai to lecture him again on fighting for something he wants despite the danger of his life. Even if the Emperor has decided to make it go away. He couldn’t do that to Jiya. 

“There is a high chance the Emperor’s Sons will try to interfere if they catch wind of this meeting. They may even send the current heads of the Mafia Households that the Emperor has claimed already. This could possibly work against you and despite the Dragons buying us time – there was no guarantee of them not throwing a spanner in our works.” 

“And you want to be the one to be there to halt the ambush by them?”

“At the very least to take the strain off you… especially since you will have your hands full with Lee Household duties and handling blonde and crazy.” 

“You mean you?”

“Ha ha…” Sehun gave Kai a wither look before he sighed and readjusted Jiya in his hold so that she was seated across his lap with her head on his shoulder before he stood up, allowing the water to drain from his slacks, “Tae will not sit this out quietly.”

“Hm… And if that wasn’t enough, the Yakuza wants in as well. Viper’s Den is searching for Lee Household executives.” Kai informed in a flippant manner.

“You’re still in touch with Seulgi?” Sehun asked softly, stepping out but stopping to sit on the edge of the bath and finish up drying Jiya off. She sniffled as she nuzzled against Sehun’s throat.

“Kind of. She reached out to pass on the message to me.” Kai clucked his tongue as he dropped a hand towel over Sehun’s head and rubbed at it before he pulled it away. 

“I can sense the headache already,” Kai sounded nauseated already. 

“Hey Kai…”

“Yeah?”

“What was the other thing if the Sit Down was just the first?” 

“Ravi didn’t kill Bang Yong Guk.” Kai stated with finality. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Con-fucking-grats for making through this chapter. Feel free to kudos and rant in your comment box to me 🌸


	17. 1 6. N E W        W O R L D        O R D E R :

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have neglected this in my writer's block but I have finally produced worthy content and I'M SO EXCITED.

1 6. N E W W O R L D O R D E R : 

_Three days following infiltrating Elysium: _

It was early evening. 

The sky was bathed in a multitude of shades, all varying it’s depth of reds and oranges as the sun dipped so low that the skyline seemed to consume it – the cold blues and greys of the structures hid the sun, encroaching and shrouding as it welcomed the sinful night life into the HUB. 

It was a Wednesday evening but it was by no means a slow evening. 

No… Not at all… In fact, with the news of the Mafia’s infamous sit down had spread through the Undercity, the city had been practically electric in its atmosphere with the mafia mobilising. The Undercity had been teeming with antsy energy as the so called powerhouses of the mafia were on the cusp on deciding the fate of the impending war. 

The mafia had been divided based on whether to attend or not. 

Mafia Head Lee Hyun Woo knew that. He was simply waiting on time to tell him – to show him the results of how his city wished to fight back against the undaunted Emperor. 

The Master sat in his escort car, stuck in evening traffic as people tried to clamour into the city while other fled. It wasn’t a shock to have such extreme tilts in the city when the mafia had mobilised itself once more in such an aggressive momentum. 

In the seat opposite the Master was his right hand, Kim Kai. 

The Master had insisted on picking up Kai from the warehouse in the earlier hours of the day to meet at one of the restaurants on his turf for a much needed catch up in a private lunch. Kai had kept mum on a lot of the details of his mission to Elysium aside from the fact that he had investigated into whether Lee Min was in the databases of Fantasia. 

The Master had appeared relieved enough and yet not enough because that still meant Lee Min was still at risk – still a hostage to the sin and horrors of the Undercity. 

Kai assured him that they were already working on the next angle on where to search for Lee Min. 

The Master had then waved Kai off, signalling the conversation had reached its end before he had shifted into his strategy on what he wanted out of the sit down.

Kim Kai sat in the car, running over some reports on a tablet, while loosening the black skinny tie around his neck. He had been using a slate grey shirt with a pair of jet black tapered slacks. His black dress shoes gleamed. He felt a little at home with the uptight dress code – a sense of normal and routine for the moment. 

“We may run the risk of being sabotaged by the Emperor’s Sons, Master.” Kai broke the silence.

“I anticipate it, Kai. The Emperor had reached out to me.” The Master shared tersely and Kai froze with the new knowledge. 

“Master?” Kai whipped his head in the direction of the Master, nearly dropping his tablet in the process, horrified with the new development coming to light.

“He had called me. It seemed needed to have a private conference. News of the sit down reached him and he is in no mood to kill anyone at this meeting. He’s actually flattered that we would host such a meeting to discuss him. He feels celebrated… the smug bastard.” The Master gave a wry smirk, almost pleased with his opponent’s confidence. 

Kai was torn between horror struck and wanting to snort – it wasn’t often the Master was emotionally invested when he discussed business but watching the Master being wound up was a rare sight. 

“Master, is there anything else you need to make me aware of?” Kai fought the way his eye twitched, veiling his irritation with the lack of communication. 

The Master waved him off, “Hush, boy. I am the Head of the Undercity Mafia. I don’t need to lean on you all the time. Especially when it comes to dealing with the Emperor who is terrorising my inner circle.”

Kai looked a little unsettled but he knew what confidence and ease looked like on his Master and that was reflected clearly on the elder’s face. 

“Well, we best throw a good party.” Kai hummed, turning back to his tablet, flipping between tabs on his reports to go over the changes in Households. There was an empty unnamed tab with a list that Kai had put down – he had been calculating his own wager of who would attend and who would use the opportunity to flee. 

“Ji Household is not on this report.” Kai commented, raising an eyebrow at the dimly lit device. 

“Tae seems to be a wild card for the Sit Down. He had thrown a royal temper tantrum to gather the households when he had learned of it from outside the Lee Household. He said he wasn’t going to attend in sheer stubbornness but I don’t know how much of it to believe when he seems so starved for knowledge of my inner circle. He wouldn’t dare pass up the opportunity.”

“Someone else may come in his place if he still doesn’t want to expose himself or parade as the Lee Heir…” Kai mused, typing down a note to watch for Ji Household’s people. 

“Indeed… any ideas who will attend in his stead?”

“It’s hard to make a decisive choice… Luhan has observed that Tae has restructured his entire operation of the Mirage and the people he keeps. We’ve narrowed it down to the chance of meeting Siobhan.”

“Siobhan?” 

“Hmm… it seems she’s attained quite the favour in the club from what Sehun says. She plays the hostess of the Mirage.” 

“Why a hostess?”

“Siobhan started there as a dancer when Ji Kwang Ho was running it. When Tae took over she jumped at the opportunity and she now gathers intel for him. She’s close in his inner circle but not close enough to act as the right hand. However she’s the perfect curveball to throw at this meeting to represent her Household on behalf of him.”

“What else do we know about her?”

“Not much. Shobhana Das changed her name for the sake of dancing. It seems like she doesn’t dance after her promotion and she lives in a nicer apartment courtesy of Tae bumping up the Mirage’s payroll. He did it with reason, a smaller payroll but just as expensive – everyone we checked out is competent and abled and worth the grain unlike when Ji Kwang Ho was covering for guys in his group. No disrespect to your old friend, Master.” Kai offered an apologetic look. 

“He was a shit businessman. It got him killed, especially when he was harbouring something as hungry and unhappy as Tae in his ranks. But today is a kind of day that I miss Ji Kwang Ho being around. He made the Sit Down an event whenever he attended.” The Master allows himself one small smile before it dies in the same moment. 

“Well, Master… All I can say is look to the new entertainment. Sehun is attending as well and it seems that all of Lee Household is aware of your relationship with him.” Kai sniggered, pulling out the tablet stylus to ring a few notes on his report tab that he was reading over.

“The boy is positively exhausting.” The Master sighed with a look of agony passing over his features. 

“He’s trying to protect us should the Emperor’s Sons send their Dragons.” Kai assured gently.

“He’s counting on it?” The Master questioned seriously. 

“Sehun is like a wolf with a scent when it comes to knowing foul play, even more so if he knows the target of interest.”

“Let him have his way with the Dragons then.” The Master sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I would like for us to go on without an ambush.”

“So would I, Master.”

“I want to see what the Undercity has in store for us…”

* * *

It was dark when Kai had entered the Sky Tower conference hall. It had been a few months ago since he was last here – the place had been decorated with multiple tables with many men and women gambling and being entertained through drinks and dirty business deals. 

It was one of the Master’s annual balls to curry favour and keep his contacts happy and loyal. 

It was also the last party Lee Min had attended publically. 

He sat there in his maroon suit, twirling a blue rose in his grasp. Kai had watched him the entire evening, watching how cold Lee Min was in all his unforgiving and arresting beauty. 

However for the Sit Down, the conference hall resembled nothing of the golden gambling den. The balcony doors had been shut tightly allowing the last of the sun’s dying rays to coat the room. The large gambling tables had been traded for a large long table, bare of its table cloth but pristine and gleaming with the oil it had been polished down with. 

There had been dark brown wood and black leather combo wing backed chairs placed along the edges of the table. The table wasn’t a simple cut – it had a geometric cut to it and each end was a differing size. It was almost diamond shaped to draw everyone somewhat closer with the tapered cut. The table was large enough to seat at least twenty people with seats already filled.

Kai hummed as he fixed the twisted lapel of his dark black suit jacket, smoothing it out to emphasise the straightness of the thin white pinstripes in it. A staff member of the hotel handed Kai a flute of complimentary champagne as he gave a cursory glance over the table.

Kai spotted the children of the Kang, Ahn and Shin households respectively all grouped together at one section of the table, fixing Kai with a rather black look. 

Kang Tae Moo and Ahn Jae Hyun were true images of mafia heirs – much like Min in grooming and status but meaner – they were bred for the mafia and they were surely here with nothing but the agenda of revenge. They were dressed in sharp suits and expensive jewellery, including their family rings setting heavily on their right hands. 

The Shin Household – much like the previous Master… rather, Mistress – had a daughter – Shin Eun Jung was a smart and refined lady. A younger version of her mother as she sat there between the larger built boys. She was a cold beauty despite her gentle demeanour but such an act was needed when she needed to stand her ground as the only woman in the room who commanded a Household. Even more so when she was still mourning the death of her mother and her uncle who had been the right hand. 

Kai felt a chill run the length of his spine as he spent a few moments staring at the three heirs before his name was called, “Kim Kai? My my, you have grown, my boy.” 

Kai turned to see Do Chul greeting him before he shook hands with the distinguished gentleman, “I’m flattered that you remember me, sir. It has been years since we’ve met personally. I anticipated the company of your son in your stead for this evening.”

“Absolutely not. I can tell when a war is brewing. It’s sad to see that so many of us have been wiped out by the Emperor’s Sons.”

“We’re trying to fix that, sir.” Kai tried to assure Do Chul.

“I hope that you realise that not everyone in this room will believe that, let alone stand with you.” 

“Of course, the Master seems to have a plan that not even I fully understand the depth of it.” Kai feigned ease and smiled politely, understanding the friendly warning from the old and experienced man. 

“Hyun Woo still plays the enigma?” Do Chul laughed lightly. 

“I beg your pardon, sir?” Kai raised an eyebrow in an amused manner. 

“Your Master is ruthless when it comes to mafia politics. He’s always been a sucker for guerrilla warfare. Had a uncanny knack for it.”

“The Master said he had put those days behind him.” Kai gave a laugh that was perfectly practiced for the formalities with the household heads who liked to converse with him. 

“Ahh… then I expect it has become scarier now that he’s left it all up to you… You have been our mystery card. For years, you were labelled a leashed dog of the Masters. I wonder what will happen now that you have no leash to hold you back, Kai.” He smiled, intoning his amusement. 

“I still wish to honour this household in my duty, albeit a bit dirtier because I am that desperate to win.” Kai added in a serious tone, frowning a little.

“I don’t doubt that… I almost pity those with the misfortune of having you as an opponent. I think this war will run smoother with you as our underdog champion. Those brats there may not realise it yet, given how young you are… And no matter how well versed they are in practice and theory, they don’t know an inch of the experience you have under your belt. Take it from a bystander who is cheering for you.” Do Chul hummed, picking up his flute before strolling over to greet the Master with a warm hug. 

“I see you have a cheerleader squad started. Didn’t know the captain was on the mature side though?” Sehun snickered into Kai’s ear as he snuck up on him. 

Kai jumped, “What in the ever loving fuck, Sehun? When did you get here?” He furrowed his eyebrows, belatedly berating himself for not watching the entrance. 

Sehun grinned, “I’ve come to impress.”

He took a step back and pointedly fixed his collar of his black button down shirt that was paired with turquoise blue chinos and a skinny black belt around his hips. Sehun had even cleaned up the choppy cut of his blonde hair into a neater styling – still quite tousled but an improvement from the initial rat bite style. 

“Not bad…” Kai nodded before he turned his attention back to the entrance of the conference room. 

“Which households have shown up tonight so far?” Sehun questioned. 

“Kang, Shin and Ahn are the three heirs who are glaring at us,” Kai subtly inclined his head in the direction of the three mafia heirs. 

“Yikes. No wonder Princess was a loner at these things. Do they always wear their faces like that?” Sehun bared his teeth in a nasty smile in retaliation. 

“Hmm… Tonight, they seem agitated. I don’t blame them, I’d be antsy if I had to push for something I want and I know it’s hardly unlikely that would happen.”

“Aww…” Sehun drawled. 

“Normally, they’re smug or just plain plastered from the wine.” Kai sniggered.

“Who else?” Sehun nodded before moving on. 

“The elderly gentleman with the Master over there is the head of the Do Household. Technically his son is supposed to be the Head… rumour has it, Do Kyungsoo has been disappeared. His last appearance was with the Yakuza.” 

Sehun whistled, “Sounds like a nightmare but the old man looks relaxed so maybe it’s good to see there’s an old friend in the Master’s corner.” 

“Yeah… it used to be three of them actually – the old man from the Ji Household used to join in. He was rowdy so these kind of events were never boring.”

“Maybe we want boring for once.”

“You’ve never been more fucking right in your life.” Kai sighed. 

“So, who are we technically waiting on?” Sehun asked. 

“Seo Household, Bang Household, Ji Household.” Kai summarised, thinning his lips into a tight line, knowing that just one out of the three will show, “Ji Household is sitting this one out unless Tae sends someone.” Kai lowered his voice as his communicated this new snippet of information with Sehun.

He regarded Kai carefully, “Alright. Luhan has been watching them more closely than I have been doing so… maybe, Siobhan will attend.”

“About Bang Household…” Kai started, his mouth thinning into a grim line. 

“Bang Household is done for… who would even attend in their stead? Did Ravi mention anything to you?” Sehun asked in a low tone, assuming a casual stance and expression and feigning chitchat with Kai. 

“It seems those questions won’t go unanswered any longer, Sehun…” Kai frowned as Lee Jaehwan walked through the door, dressed impeccably as he pulled off his large grey trench coat to hand to the hotel staffs who were frantically trailing after them. 

“Ah fuck.” Sehun sighed, his features already twisting into a miserable expression. 

“Master Lee Hyun Woo-sshi. I’m almost offended that your security was trying to deny me entrance to your little party.” Jaehwan called out as he strode in long strides, pulling off the suit jacket that had been slung over his shoulders. 

His dark hair was slicked back in its usual princely style of being swept off his forehead and the razor sharp neatness of his undercut accented by the fresh fade. Such a sharp hairstyle shouldn’t have paired with the casual way he had worn grey English wool tartan checked suit pants with a simple but fitting black pull over. 

“Under normal circumstances, you are always welcomed to my parties, Lee Jaehwan – from one Lee Family to another.” He hummed softly, barely taking his attention away from Do Chul, “However tonight is a closed gathering for my households.”

“This won’t do at all. Many would assume that you were trying to hide something especially when there are new families who wish to affiliate themselves with your Mafia. It just doesn’t seem right to be denied entry.” Jaehwan tutted as he took a seat, “I require five more seats for my newly established Fantasia Household.”

“Five more seats? Fantasia Household?” The Master furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. 

“You didn’t tell your Master, Kai?” Lee Jaehwan cut his gaze to Kai, smirking as he loosened the thin black leather straps around his wrists that kept his skin tight leather gloves in place. 

“It seems you wish to act on a business opportunity, yes?” Kai folded his arms, canting his head as he calculated Jaehwan’s next move.

“Indeed. You promised a more refined experience for my Elysium club….” Jaehwan locked eyes with Kai, gleaming with unspoken intent as he pulled off the glove finger by finger. 

“Oi, oi, oi… do you seriously believe this Sweeper came in here to be poached from the Emperor’s Sons? This sounds like a fucking set up.” Kang Tae Moo huffed. 

“Sweeper? You ought to keep quiet when the adults are discussing business, brat.” Jaehwan gave a noise of amusement before his bee stung lips twisted into a vicious sneer. 

“Don’t grin… this isn’t your turf.” Tae Moo snarled, clearly reddening with vexation and embarrassment. 

“Neither is it yours… I do believe I was kind enough buy off your labs and take control of Kang Household’s suppliers, yes?” 

Tae Moo swore, “Yes.” 

“A Household with no pull in the Undercity has no choice but to be absorbed. I mean, ending Kang Household would be sad, given your family’s history with the Lees. You could always be my place holder and retain the glorified name of the Kang Household.” Jaehwan sneered, “Do you wish to accept my offer?”

“Don’t fuck with the Kangs, Lee Jaehwan. We will not ignore this shameful display of arrogance.” Tae Moo hissed.

The black gloves landed with a sharp smack sound against the dark wood as Lee Jaehwan’s demeanour grew dark; he fixed the Kang Heir with a black look. 

“Take your own advice, Kang Tae Moo. No matter which branch of the Lee Family you’re dealing with, don’t fuck with us, Isn’t that right, _Uncle_?” Jaehwan’s had cut his gaze from the three heirs to the Master with a smirk on his lips. 

“Lee Jaehwan… that is enough…” The Master hissed, urging the young man to calm down. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me…” Sehun gaped for a second, already putting two and two together.

“Master… elaborate, please.” Kai looked positively exhausted and pleaded with a long suffering look.

“It really isn’t all that complicated… Uncle Hyun Woo and my father are cousins. My dearest cousin, Lee Min, and I have been estranged since childhood. I’ve actually come here tonight to get reacquainted with him… there is something that came up in my club because of a recent incident and I have learned that it may prove to be quite interesting.” Jaehwan explained and Kai felt his blood run icy cool. 

“So you want to bribe your way into the Inner Circle?” Shin Eun Jung asked softly.

Jaehwan scoffed, “Bribe? Don’t be naïve. Money doesn’t buy that kind of satisfaction.” He sounded exasperated as his furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief. 

He rolled his eyes after a moment of silence.

“Ugh. I can’t believe Uncle has to deal business like this. Well… It is only natural I would want to claim my right to be seated at this table as a branch of the Lee Family and as a Lee, I would like to declare that the other Slaver Kings to be seated here as well.” 

“Why would we need you Sweepers in our Inner Circle?” Ahn Jae Hyun sniffed, feigning superiority over Jaehwan. 

Jaehwan bared his teeth in a rancorous grin at the three household heirs who looked down on him, “Because you fall short on everything beyond money. I believe the Kang, Shin and Ahn households are to be absorbed by the Emperor. And lo and behold, it is the very same household heirs who have a problem with me.” He raised an eyebrow, challenging them.

“It’s not like you’re short on vacant seats…” Jaehwan sniggered as he chanced a glance at Kai.

Kang Tae Moo saw red, rising to his feet immediately with a thunderous expression as he slammed his hand on the table, leaning over the table to intimidate a seated Jaehwan, despite the vast width of table that separated them.

“We could say the same about Fant –“

Jaehwan cut Kang Tae Moo off with a barking laugh, “I’m sorry, did you assume we were of the same cloth?” Jaehwan asked with an incredulous tone, “Understand this clearly, I merely latched onto the Emperor for a select target audience that my business caters for. I don’t carry the threat of the Emperor over my head. He has no desire for my business.” His words were cutting in his sharp retort.

“He’s about to drag filth into this inner circle, Master Hyun Woo.” Ahn Jae Hyun clucked his tongue. 

Jaehwan’s mouth twisted in a mean lopsided smirk, “Filth? Uncle, is this your new inner circle?” He turned to the Master, barely suppress a breathy snort.

“Jaehwan, you have caused quite the uproar for tonight… is this all you required? Seats in my inner circle meetings?” 

“Uncle, I don’t think you understand what my brand has to offer… I am on the brink of unprecedented potential for the Mafia.” Jaehwan pouted. 

“Your brand? The last time I checked it was the Chas who owned Fantasia.” Tae Moo spat.

There was a sharp knocking sound and the three mafia heirs whip their heads to the entrance to see the figure.

“Congrats on knowing your stuff. As of today, it marks an entire month that I have aligned my wealth and business with the Fantasia Household that wishes to enter the Undercity Mafia. You either have been talking to people that we, Chas, no longer associate with or you don’t pay enough for your information if you’re that out of the loop.” Cha Hakyeon had been leaning against the large wooden door and watching the entire exchange as he had the moment Jaehwan had announced his relation to Lee Hyun Woo. He had knocked on the door with gloved hands to grab the attention of the room to correct them before he crossed the room to take his seat next to Jaehwan.

“I hope the Emperor knows about your treacherous business dealings.” Tae Moo huffed. 

“Quite. In fact, he’s aware of you lot trying to beg Uncle for your weak ass revenge plot. Guess it must be fun to be that stupid… do you enjoy taunting him? Are you begging for him to set a Dragon loose?” Jaehwan snarled in a low tone, his eyes mean and dark with wanting to hurt Kang Tae Moo. 

“Now, Jaehwan, you knew that we would face such judgement upon coming here tonight. Businessmen always seem flippant in loyalty before the mafia. The Dragons did mention this, didn’t he?” Hakyeon lands a comforting hand on Jaehwan’s shoulder before he righted the cufflink in the sleeve of his crisp and shiny burgundy suit with a sultry smirk, clearly enjoying the tension. 

Kai felt a headache coming on as he watched the other Slaver Kings who had just arrived. It was impressive to watch the other four Slaver Kings walk in every bit as entitled and arrogant as Jaehwan had appeared. Jung Leo had been a vision, stalking his way over to Hakyeon in a beige suit, as he led Han Sanghyuk and Lee Hongbin in who had been dressed in sumptuous velvet jackets in tones of jade and plum respectively. 

Even Kim Ravi, who had been the last to walk in, was no longer a pale shivering mess. He walked in, spine straight, dark black suit and his hair a inky black wet mess, perfectly aware of the not so whispered comments of the Bang Household right hand being present. 

Everyone but Hongbin had exchanged lukewarm greetings but the dimpled king flashed a maliciously bright smile, perfect for charming his way through the tension as he took his seat, already ordering wine. 

“Well… it seems like Masters of the Fantasia Household are joining us for the night.” Kai summarised, hoping to move on from the family politics and the party bag of problems that Jaehwan probably brought along with him.

“My my, there are far more people than I had anticipated…” A man who looked a lot like an older version of Cha Hakyeon stood at the door. His hair was completely different from the long messy way Hakyeon style his hair, favouring the comma curl coif and wore a royal blue suit as he strolled in. 

“Seo Household is now represented by In Guk and not Yeon Hee?” Master Hyun Woo questioned coolly.

“My mother wishes to sit this war out… and I don’t.” Seo In Guk pursed his lips as he examined the room. 

“Traitors. They murdered Ji Kwang Ho.” Shin Eun Jung hissed. 

“Oh? That news reached that far?” In Guk drawled in a bored tone, “Ji Household wanted out and I got bragging rights. I didn’t even do anything. However it did help stay the Emperor’s Sons from targeting me. Forgive me, Do Household, because of that you may be next.” He bowed politely. 

“We can take care of our own.” Do Chul waved off Seo In Guk, “The Emperor had been waiting until my son could be located.” 

“Is Do Kyung Soo safe?” 

“I don’t know myself.” Do Chul smiled, clearly impressed with his son hiding from the reaches of the Mafia.

“If we are going as far as calling each other traitors and murderers, I believe we have questions for the only survivor of the Bang Household? Right hand Kim Ravi, I see that you are well…” Seo In Guk smiled knowingly, toasting to Ravi slyly. 

“You flatter me, In Guk-sshi, it’s all thanks to Lee Jaehwan.” Ravi brushed him off. 

There was a pause in the tense atmosphere and the Master had used the opportunity to ask everyone to be seated so that they could commence with the meeting.

“It seems everyone is here. We can begin talks.” Master Lee Hyun Woo had commanded the room and signalled for the doors to be closed. 

“Not so fast, Lee Household.” A feminine voice called out.

“Oh my fucking good God, what more?” Sehun muttered under his breath as he stared at the doors and he had a bad feeling that he knew that voice. 

“For fuck sakes… It’s Siobhan, Kai.” Sehun whispered as he turned his gaze away from the entrance to catch Kai’s attention. 

“Holy shit… I didn’t think she would show.” Kai watched as she walked into the room, dressed in a black blazer that was unbuttoned to show off the black lace camisole blouse that she paired with high-waist white formal shorts that she had been wearing. Her footsteps were crisp and clear as her high heeled ankle boots carried her into the room.

“And here I assumed it was going to be a total snooze fest.” She said, placing a hand on her hip, completely aware of all eyes on her in that moment as she scanned all the men and women seated. 

“Oh hey, handsome!” Siobhan greeted with a blinding smile, her striking white teeth contrasting against the dark red of her painted lips, when she spotted Sehun’s riot of blonde hair. 

“Fuck me.” Sehun cringed, even as he maintained eye contact with Kai and didn’t turn around to face her. 

That was until Kai’s jaw slacked for a second. 

“Sehun, we’ve got a problem. You may want to turn around…” Kai whispered and Sehun whirled around in his seat, feeling all the air being knocked out of his lungs. 

“I hardly think sitting this meeting out would give me the edge that I want.” Tae grinned as he walked in with an arm slung around Jiya.

“Well, well… if it isn’t my estranged cousin, Lee Min.” Jaehwan greeted with a taunt, inspecting Tae’s wild hair and icy blue eyes. The Lee Heir had never looked so untamed – from the tips of choppy blonde undercut to his steel tipped boots. He had examined the way Lee Min was dressed in black wrap over shirt with only half of the front tucked into his black skinny jeans.

“I wasn’t about to miss this.” Tae admitted in a smug tone.

His mouth was curved in a triumphant smirk, knowing he had grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. He had lead Jiya over to three remaining seats, and set Jiya down in the seat directly opposite Sehun. 

She watched in horror, not understanding why she was seated in front of the one man she didn’t want to see again. She thought she had washed her hands of Oh Sehun. She looked away, understanding that Tae and Siobhan had sat down respectively filling up the entire table, save for the single chair at the end of the table that was directly opposite the Master.

Her stupor was broken when Tae tilted her head to the side, brushing his mouth against her ear. 

“Head held high up, babe. We’ve got a lot of people to piss off tonight and we’re starting with Kim Kai.” Tae whispered softly, like it was an amusing secret between them. He felt Jiya shiver in her seat, as she stared at Sehun, trying to fathom how the situation had come to be.

“I shouldn’t have come, Tae. There are clients in this room that I’ve worked for.”

“So?”

“These clients didn’t know I worked directly for a mafia household. This puts me at risk.”

“Nonsense, I can’t be without my right hand at my side tonight and I think that makes everything all the more exciting. Don’t you want me to protect you?” He sniggered, side eyeing Sehun before pressing his mouth behind her ear, “Hmm… is that fear or excitement, Jiya? Your pulse is racing already.”

“Nervous…” Jiya murmured as she locked eye contact with Oh Sehun. She watched the myriad of emotions flicker in Sehun’s eyes before he tamped down on it, fixing her with a dead and indifferent gaze.

“I didn’t think you got nervous, Jiya.” 

“I only feel nervous when I feel out of my depth.”

“How could you feel out of your depth… you’re the right hand of a powerful household and you’re so pretty tonight… I really like how this dress fits you.” He drawled, ignoring the murmurs of the room as everyone tried to understand that it was Lee Min seated between two ladies. He drew a single fingertip over her thigh, tracing the design in her sheer stockings, just shy of the edge of her skirt hemline. 

This certainly wasn’t the cold Prince that everyone had gossiped about. 

Jiya pushed off his hand from her leg and greeted everyone with a shy smile, until she halted dead when met with Kim Kai’s fierce expression. She bit her lip, holding back the whimper there as he cocked a questioning eyebrow at her position next to Tae.

“Who are the lovely ladies in your company, Lee Min?” Cha Hakyeon prodded the tense atmosphere with the playful question, grinning like a Cheshire cat at Jiya – already recognising her and understanding that something was not adding up for her to not be glued to Sehun’s side. 

“Siobhan is the sole representative for Mugunghwa Household.”

“Mugunghwa?” The Master questioned, perplexed with the name. 

“Ji Household will cease to exist. As part as my deal with Seo Household – they have the rights to say they ended the Household but the Household stayed with me. It shall operate from the Mirage with Siobhan in the vanguard.” He explained smoothly. 

“Your deal?” 

“Yes…” He hummed, not elaborating on the deal whatsoever.

Jaehwan whistled long and low, “It seems like I had no reason to worry about my cousin…” He grinned, knowing full well that wasn’t the real Lee Min seated between the girls.

“It would seem that Siobhan isn’t your right hand if she is the vanguard?” Seo In Guk questioned. 

“It was hard to choose but this little lady is actually my right hand. Introduce yourself, babe.” Tae bit down on the smile spreading across his face as he watched Jiya shiver a little. He watched with amused blue eyes before he cut his gaze to Sehun in a challenge.

Jiya stood up, breathing a little before she addressed everyone before her, “Jiya Sarkar. Right Hand to Lee Min of Mugunghwa Household.” She felt a bitterness coat her tongue as she said those words. 

Sehun’s hands tightened into fists in thinly veiled anger as he recognised the look of disgust sweeping over the table as she sat down. 

“What a pretty pet, Min-sshi… She’s as a welcoming as a spoilt cat.” Jaehwan commented drily, intoning the inside joke between Jiya and him.

“Jiya looks like kitten but she’s something I wouldn’t want to underestimate…” Tae lifted her chin by his hand lazily and turned her in the direction of his face, his blue eyes gleaming in intent, “I wouldn’t make her my right hand if she wasn’t capable. I don’t keep people in my household for their face value.” Tae sniffed.

“Ouch… there is absolutely nothing wrong in collecting beautiful things, dearest cousin.” Jaehwan sniggered, clearly enjoying the charade. 

“I don’t see the beauty in a collection that is idle or forced.” Tae smiled sharply. 

“I don’t see the beauty in a collection that risks itself… broken toys and scarred pets make a pitiful sight. However your little pet has met me before, haven’t you, Jiya?” 

Jiya froze, side eyeing Tae who has a frown on his face before she nodded and acknowledged Jaehwan. 

“I think that is a conversation for another time.” Kai huffed, diverting attention away from the mysterious relationship between Jiya Sarkar and Lee Jaehwan deftly, “We are limited in our time since gathering everyone is a near impossible task but we are to move on. As first order of business, we need a strategy on how to approach the Emperor, especially with half of the households swallowed by the Emperor’s Sons.” Kai bit out to remind everyone of the real reason why they were all gathered in the conference room. 

“The approach is that we don’t. At least not directly, that is. It’s a plain fact that we aren’t prepared to take on the Emperor’s Sons. Nor do we have the means to defend against a full scale war.” Kang Tae Moo complained. 

“You say that but have you done your research?” Lee Hongbin piped up for the first time for the night. 

“Don’t fucking talk shit… whom the fuck would have the guts to sell information out of the Emperor’s Sons?” Tae Moo hissed.

Hongbin sighed, “Can we kill him first? He’s not even worth educating.” Hongbin rolled his eyes, pouring more wine into his glass. 

Kai groaned, “Are you suggesting that there’s a lead that we aren’t looking into at this very moment?”

“Finally! Someone with a brain.” Hongbin cried. 

Jaehwan snickered, “What Hongbin means is that you’re looking at this in isolation. You aren’t the only targets of the Emperor’s Sons.”

“That’s a given. It’s just that the most pressing need is that the Mafia of the Undercity is the most invested interest.” Kai hummed, folding his arms, already calculating Lee Jaehwan’s angle.

“Wrong. The Yakuza and –“ Jaehwan begun.

“Surely you don’t mean, Viper’s Den, Master Jaehwan?” Kai sighed.

“Well informed, Kai-sshi.” The Slaver King seemed pleased and gave a satisfied smile, “What do you plan to do with that information?”

“What fucking information? Who is Viper’s Den?” Ahn Jaeh Hyun demanded hotly. 

Sehun sighed, “This has always been beyond the households and the Emperor’s Sons have been here for almost a year, corrupting and breaking down the entire mafia network. It’s been made a circus of the way you trickle down power and isolate your powerhouses. It’s left every household defenceless and without allies. Kai and I had tried to intercept that strategy but they’ve been well prepared for retaliation.”

“Who the fuck are you?” The Ahn Household heir regarded Sehun with a look of digust, clearly recognising the lack of groomed upbringing that any of mafia households enforces.

Before Sehun could reply, Jaehwan spoke. 

“You haven’t heard of Oh Sehun? He’s the fanciest toy the Lee Household has thrown into the Undercity. He’s even managed to capture the attention of the Emperor.” Jaehwan smirked.

“So he is an insider for the Emperor? He’s the one feeding information to the Emperor.”

“Fuck no.” Sehun huffed, “I work for Kim Kai. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“So your dog has a dog to kick around as well? Figures the attitude Kim Kai sits there with.” Kang Tae Moo took a low shot at Kai.

“Did everything I said go over your head that you insist on arguing my current position regarding the mafia?” Sehun snarled, “I’ve gone out and done recon. I think you would be a lot more clueless than you currently are if it wasn’t for me.”

“You knew of this and yet you said nothing?” Ahn Jae Hyun snapped at Sehun. 

“I’m telling now, aren’t I?” Sehun snarled back, “Clearly you underestimate the risk of the Emperor’s Sons. He’s pulled off quite the feat right under your eyes and yet you judge Kai and I… Intercepting the fucking Emperor’s Sons put us out of commission for seven weeks because we barely escaped.”

“Sounds like you’re weak.” Kang Tae Moo sniffed haughtily. 

Jaehwan snorted, “Funny… the Vizier said you had grovelled like a whimpering dog to live because you were in the same room when your father was wasted.” 

“That is being smart.” Kang Tae Moo erred.

“That is being a coward. Loyalty out of fear is nothing but spineless behaviour. How do you wish to wage war if you aren’t even willing to confront what scares you? Don’t tell me you wish to send your household in droves to die to save your sorry ass.” Sehun scoffed.

“As if you understand what the Dragons are like…” Kang Tae Moo spat more angry words at Sehun’s dismissive attitude. 

Kai heard Sehun breathing a hysterical laugh, “Sehun?” 

“I’m going out to smoke. I can’t reason with someone as thick as a wall.” Sehun rose, grabbed his smokes off the table.

“Awww… you’ve angered him.” Hongbin commented loudly, “Normally this is when he starts to put people in place but he’s taking a cool walk? He could very well smoke in here but he’s not…” Hongbin whirled in his seat in Kai’s direction, “Are you making Sehun behave on purpose?” He gave Kai a mock pout. 

“Sehun has agreed to be amicable for the sake of business tonight, Hongbin-sshi. You know Sehun could never be forced to do anything he doesn’t want to do.” Kai explained with a patient look.

Hongbin’s pretty face screwed up in distaste, popping both dimples in his face, “Boring. I was hoping to at least see blood.” He snatched up the wine glass, rolling the stem between his fingers petulantly. 

“Lee Hongbin…” Hakyeon warned in a low tone making Hongbin scoff before he continued to drink silently. 

“Whatever. I can still hear you fuckers. Like Kai said, I won’t be doing anything tonight.” Sehun growled as he stalked toward the doors.

Sehun had reached the doors and pulled them open when he froze, staring wide eyed at the man before him on the other side of the threshold. 

He recognised that windswept hair anywhere. He stared for far too many moments, trying to understand the joke. It couldn’t be that this man of all the dangers in the Undercity was standing before him, dressed in a shiny maroon suit that glinted with a dark sheen.

“Hi there, little one… I’m not late, am I?” The Emperor greeted Sehun with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raaaannntttttt to me. This chapter was hard to write but once the flow started it felt like a flood gate had opened 🤣


	18. 1 7: 		N O N   D U C O R,  D U C O

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am not led, I lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhh... format could be wonky. New laptop. New word processor. Same content.
> 
> ALSO LETS HYPE THIS GALAXY BRAIN SIZED CHAPTER PLS.
> 
> let's get it!

1 7: N O N D U C O R, D U C O

_I am not led, I lead._

“Hi there, little one… I’m not late, am I?” The Emperor greeted Sehun with a grin.

“_Fuck_." Sehun gaped in horror.

"Is there something wrong with my suit? Am I overdressed?" The Emperor faked a pout as he took a step back, picking at his metallic maroon coloured suit jacket and examining his own shiny steel tipped black dress shoes before righting the silver cuff links in his sleeve cuffs. He even adjusted the half gloves on his hands, the slim skin tight leather covering only his fingers and skim the edge of his palm and his knuckles, leaving the palms and back of his hands exposed.

"No. Oh my God... Does that even matter? _What are you doing here?_” Sehun hissed, eyebrows knitting up as he barely could keep the frantic tone out of his question. Not that composing his voice would have done anything to cover for him considering the Emperor could already see Oh Sehun paling before him.

“Me being here is partly your fault, little one. I honestly don't know what you've done to my Dragons but they could only stall me for so long before I got curious on what became of our little deal.” The Emperor whispered, intoning that he was onto the way Jonghyun and Key had been watching over him.

“Things aren't always as smooth as you expect.” Sehun lied in hushed tones as if the blades gifted to him by the older Dragon wasn't burning a hole in the pocket of his slacks.

“That is a you problem, Sehun. You forget that despite under my care, I am not a patient man.” He fixed Sehun with a sharp glare and Sehun tightened his grip on the doors. He could easily slam the doors closed, walk back to his seat and pretend that The Emperor – Kim Jaejoong wasn’t there.

Sehun felt panic creep into him, hard and fast, because there was no way to notify Kai without the others growing suspicious and the Master certainly had no idea who the Emperor was. He was the only person who could identify the Emperor and he wasn’t allowed to breathe a word of it, fearing the safety of Kai.

That was when everything clicked in place for Sehun.

“You planned for this to happen.” His voice was no higher than a whisper as he stared, horrified at how he had been played, “This is all part of what you wanted all along. You knew how the Master would react… You needed this meeting to happen. You were planning to infiltrate this meeting…” Sehun murmured out in realisation.

“I knew I chose well when I picked you, Sehun… And I know you’re out of options. You're out of party tricks so I know you won’t do anything but sit quietly to protect Kai and the Master, yes?” He intoned his threat very politely before Sehun nodded meekly.

“Are you going to hurt anyone tonight?” Sehun asked, feeling his temper on his nose.

“No. Blood is not on the agenda today. The Mafia is playing the right card... even if they were unknowingly forced into such a situation.” He smiled warmly, but it didn’t reach his startling dark and beautiful eyes. No... Sehun knew that look. That was base satisfaction. 

"You plan to announce this while I'm gone or am I free to smoke?" Sehun regarded him coldly.

"Go have a smoke and come back and maybe I'll start the party. I do have some catching up to do." The Emperor grinned at Sehun.

Sehun whirled around, “Master Lee… it seems you have a latecomer.” He announced in a frigid tone, gaining one too many raised eyebrows, including Kim Kai.

“Who wishes to enter the meeting now? Everyone who should be here is already present…” Master Lee frowned.

Sehun says nothing further but stepped aside to let the Emperor step into the conference room.

“Master Lee… it has been a while, hasn’t it?” The Emperor greeted amiably as he stepped past Sehun, approaching the lone chair at the tapered end of the table.

“Han Household?” Ahn Jae Hyun snarled in disgust, “Who invited you?”

“Hush.” Lee Hyun Woo’s voice cracked like a whip when he ordered for silence. The entire room seemed to tense over with the thickening quietness.

The Master greeted softly, “Han Jae Joon… it indeed has been a long time. What brings you back to the Undercity, old friend?”

The Emperor chuckled softly, “It’s wonderful to know that our family friendship still stands even with all the time that has passed. My father would be honoured.”

“Your father will always be honoured in this Mafia, Jae Joon. He was the bravest of us all.” The Master reassured quietly.

“Your words are still kind after many many years, sir.” He smiled disarmingly.

“Indeed, you were still a boy when you left and yet here you are, an entirely different person. What do I owe the pleasure of seeing you?” The Master asked.

“As arranged by my late father which he had graciously announced to me in his will… Han Household is meant to aid Lee Household should any of the households fall. And here I am… to aid in a war that I know not much of.” Jae Joon sighed.

“What took you so long? Do you not realise how the Households heads have been targeted and are being wiped out?” Kang Tae Moo growled.

"Bad fucking idea to open your mouth… Your funeral, mate.” Sehun muttered to himself.

“I’m well aware of the current situation within the Undercity. You fail to realise that I’m willing to put myself at risk as a Household head myself. I was perfectly content across the sea and not a target of the Emperor’s Sons. I had no urge to return to the Undercity. My businesses are the smallest in this city because my family has no turf claim and every household the Hans had ties with are dead. Now correct me if I am wrong, Kang Household, do I look like I'm in the position of owing favours to the mafia to openly step into the vanguard for someone like you?” He snapped tersely to shut up the Kang heir.

“It would seem this is the struggle of honour of old men in a new world… It has been many a years since we've had a Han member seated at our Inner Circle...” Do Chul mused aloud as he thought over what would Han Household’s presence meant for them in this war against the Emperor’s Sons.

“Indeed… But I'm not here to fight... I've come to claim my seat because I have no qualms with aiding if it comes to a war but I lack information… Would the Inner Circle mind if I sat in on this meeting to merely learn before I pledge my efforts and possibly my wealth…” Jae Joon stated his line of business for the meeting.

“Of course.” The Master agreed.

“Then what of Han Household should Master Han choose to withdraw his participation in this war?” Shin Household’s heir questioned.

“Mistress Shin… make no mistake, I wish to observe to see where I’m best suited for this war. I have no desire to withdraw. Han men are men of their word and I do not want to be the first Han man to tarnish our pride.” The Emperor addressed the doubt of the entire inner circle in one fell swoop.

“You speak of wealth, what could you offer?” Ahn Jae Hyun raised an eyebrow.

“On the surface, I am a hospitality industrialist – apparently the wealthiest since I have moved here after opening the Oasis Towers.” The Emperor grinned.

“You are the kind gentleman who gave me your penthouse levels for my wealthiest club… Fantasia hasn’t known a more luxurious location than that one. You were kind enough to cater to our vision of Elysium. I believe you were the faceless shareholder in my business - you've always sent your business partner in your stead.” Jaehwan hummed as he appeared deep in thought.

"Right you are. Lee Jaehwan confirms that my underground activity is merely attached to manipulating a market for his business venture."

Sehun stood frozen at the open doors, absolutely horrified.

This is so bad. This is so fucked. The Emperor is right there before the Master as an old friend. He’s here to learn everything that we’re planning against him. Fuck.

Sehun darted out of the doors. He wound his way through the hallways until he located a smoking area. He was on one of the outside platforms of the Sky Tower, staring at the Undercity darkening skyline, far too many twinkling lights mocking him. He pulled out a cigarette. He barely gets his lighter out with the way his hands are shaking. The flame catches the cigarette with Sehun's stuttered breathing before he started to smoke in long heavy drags.

_How do I let Kai know? What am I going to do? I can’t sabotage the meeting – I’m already under too much suspicion. _

_Maybe Luhan can help._

Sehun whipped out his phone and called Luhan. Sehun waited for the call to connect and when Luhan picks up he doesn’t let Luhan get an edgewise in.

“Luhan, we've got trouble. I need to fix it but I can't upset the current state of the meeting directly. Listen, the Emperor himself arrived at the Sit Down but no one but me knows that. I can’t even notify Kai because he’s in the thick of hosting the fucking meeting.” He breathed hard, pausing only to drag long and heavy from his cigarette.

“We need to do something. Kill the power or trigger the fucking sprinklers but we need that meeting to halt. It would be best if we get everyone out.” Sehun paced as he tried to stress the urgency of halting the meeting.

“I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, brat.” Sehun stilled when he heard that voice. 

“Key?” Sehun blinked, pulling the phone away from his ear to check if he dialled the right number. He did dial Luhan.

“Judging your silence... I assume that you're confused and you're currently too frantic to put two and two together so listen carefully... Hyung and I had a feeling that you would to sabotage the meeting to stop Jae Hyung from learning anything useful from the meeting so we hacked your phone.”

“You did fucking what?” Sehun seethed, “This is fucking low, Key. The Mafia won’t even have a fighting chance at this rate. The Emperor already has the upper hand so why.”

“Everything is far in love and war.” Key sniggered.

“Don’t fuck with me. When I expected foul play from you guys tonight… I had anticipated the Emperor sending the two of you but I didn’t expect him to actual show up personally. And this fucking meeting is such a mess that it’s perfect for him. No one is going to fucking second guess a thing.” Sehun ran a hand through his hair before he swore out aloud.

“I guess our plan is working out perfectly then. Even to the point we get to stop our brat dead in his tracks.” Key sounded infuriatingly smug over his end of the call.

“Fuck you, Key…” Sehun hissed.

“You don’t really mean that, do you? You’ll hurt Hyung’s feelings. After all we’ve done for you… you’re still being a brat.” Key groused.

“Fuck off. I need to get back to the meeting. I need to at least listen to what’s going on…” Sehun muttered.

“Play nice, Sehun. No one likes the one who spills secrets.”

“I wouldn’t dare. That’s part of my deal with your boss.”

“Do you value Kim Kai’s life that much?” Key hummed.

“Yes. He’ll have an idea around this. I have that much faith in him. I won’t destroy his chance against the Emperor’s Sons.” Sehun admitted.

“I see.” Key answered after a moment of silence.

Sehun was tempted to cut the call at that point but he stopped. He sighed heavily.

"Is... Is everything okay? The Emperor mentioned... Said he was being stalled."

"Mentioned what? Stalled for who?" Key's tone sharpened, clearly telling Sehun to drop the topic.

"You know what... It doesn't matter." Sehun groused.

He heard Key hum lightly over the phone, “You have a sabotaged meeting to attend, Sehun.”

Sehun scowled as Key hung up on him. He stuffed his phone back into his trouser and finished his smoke. He tipped his head back, glaring at the starry night sky, trying to find the solution in the inky darkness.

“How the fuck are we going to get out of this situation this time?” Sehun sighed.

He outs his cigarette and deposited the butt into the ash tray before he turned around and stopped, seeing someone waiting at the door.

“I’ve been looking for you, Sehun…”

* * *

Sehun had stepped back into the meeting room, completely composed despite the reddening patch on his cheek. The room had been on a break of sorts to brief The Emperor which led the other households to bicker among themselves before he took his seat next to Kai and leaned into right hand’s space.

"What the hell happened to you? I thought you went to smoke." Kai asked under his breath.

“We have trouble on our hands.”

“Finally you got around to telling me. You were paper white when you stepped out for your smoke and I know it has absolutely nothing to do with the thick mafia heirs on the other end of the table.” Kai grinned at the Master despite speaking between his gnashed teeth. He had then removed his jacket in an effort to not strangle someone with how frayed his nerves felt.

“The Emperor sent someone.” Sehun admitted, rolling up his sleeves and loosening his tie a little.

“What?” Kai’s eyes widened and he turned to face Sehun head on and Sehun could only reply with a nod of his own to confirm what he had said to Kai.

“Who?”

“Definitely not anyone we would expect under normal circumstances.”

"So it's not Jiya. She's been glaring at you all this time."

"Definitely not her. She's... with Tae." Sehun has the nerve to give a shaky smile - he looks far too wired and bent out of shape. His eyes flick over to where Jiya had been angrily penning notes as Tae snickered, completely entertained with the households bickering with each other. He had leaned over, whispering something to her before Siobhan pulled his attention away from Jiya.

“For fuck sakes… That literally leaves everyone else in this room,” Kai swore under his breath, “Can’t you tell me who?” Kai urged quietly.

“Sure, I’d tell you if I wanted the Emperor to hurt you or the Master…” Sehun mused.

“That wrist twist trick is getting old really quickly,” Kai clucked his tongue.

“I intend for tonight to be the last of that trick. So what do we do?”

“Nothing. We let this go on as normal. We will adjust accordingly when we can talk with the Master privately.”

“This is still risky. This is a vital information leak… I anticipated Dragons but not infiltration…” Sehun hissed.

The Master had hushed the room over once more.

“We are here to put aside the internal politics of the Inner Circle unless we all wish to be wiped out by the Emperor’s Sons. He may not intend it this way but squabbling with definitely play into his favour.”

“Like sending us a Sweeper…” Kang Tae Moo added rudely.

“Call me a Sweeper once more… I dare you...” Jaehwan hissed the taunt, baring his teeth in a vicious manner as his beestung lips curled back cruelly.

“Or what?” The Kang heir snorted.

“How much of your fortune have you squander? I mean… how much is left? I want a rough estimate to know how many Kang family members you would be able to buy back from me before you run flat broke?” Jaehwan grinned coldly, his gaze frosting over with the tone of his voice dropping into a low threat. 

“Jaehwan… I will not tolerate you threatening the other inner circle members.” The Master rebuked loudly.

“Glad you understand it, Uncle. It must be a Lee Family thing because I don’t tolerate bullying.” Jaehwan huffed, barely veiling his irritation.

“Kang Tae Moo… Would you prefer I have you escorted out of this meeting or would you like to use what’s left of your dignity to sit in quietly?” The Master questioned.

Tae snickered, leaning over to whisper something to Siobhan who gave a mute laugh before smiling flirtatiously at Kang Tae Moo.

“Kai, please.” The Master urged and Kai nodded, getting to his feet.

“Well… we are here to gather our remaining forces in order to not get the remaining households killed in the process of reclaiming the old ones back.”

“How do you plan on that, Kai-sshi? The Emperor isn’t going to let you take it back. He’s killed enough people for the households he’s wanted. He'll kill again to keep what he has.” The Do Household questioned.

“The Emperor is looking for a set of executives if you haven’t noticed the pattern. So far all have turned him down and he’s wiped out whoever stood in the way of that so he could manipulate the heirs that were left behind.” Sehun provided more information.

“Well, how do you wish to achieve anything when he’s clearly succeeding in just doing that?” Ahn Jae Hyun asked in a haughty manner.

“Have you known the mafia to do anything politely, Ahn Jae Hyun?” The Master breathed a laugh, “The Emperor in his arrogance has set quite the stage but we shall return in full force. We will attack the Emperor’s Sons. It’s a matter of strategy. We need to disable his forces just like he has - the only difference is that despite being pressed for time, we're going to use a smaller scale approach.” The Master assured confidently.

“Disable? You mean like getting the Emperor away from his Dragons? Hardly likely.” Kang Tae Moo huffed.

“It’s difficult but not impossible. His elite forces could be stretched thin enough to allow for us to have a window of opportunity if we can mobilise as many households at once. This really boils down to the timing of distractions. The Emperor has had months, maybe years prior to acting out against us and he has systematically broken the mafia from the bottom up. We just need to make sure we have the chance to hit a vital point within the Emperor's Sons hard and fast enough to level the playing field. Having the chance to fight is half the battle won.” Kai threw a side glance to Sehun, confirming if it was possible.

Sehun nodded before he turned his gaze to the Emperor.

"It seems like you want to con the Emperor instead of facing him head on..." Ahn Jae Hyun.

"Shut up for a moment, won't you? Con him for what? Money? Shut up. Seriously don't even answer..." Jaehwan threw a look of disgust as both the Ahn and the Kang household heirs opened their mouths to protest.

"So what is he planning then? I'm not happy playing bait." Kang Tae Moo huffed.

"Can't you see Kai has direction with this distraction strategy?" Hongbin rolled his eyes, “It’s pretty sneaky but I like it. I command my part of the Lee family. I’ll commit as long I get my fair for fun.” Hongbin’s gentle expression morphed into something unrecognisable on his face. 

"He's obviously planning to corner the Emperor instead of taking on his entire fucking organisation because of the limited resources. It would be a safe strategy at the very least before it gets crazy." Kim Ravi smirked, a little impressed even with how crazy the idea sounds.

Sehun hadn’t anticipated an open reaction from the Emperor but the syndicate leader sat there with an eager smirk on his face as he listened in on what the Undercity Mafia plot against him. His large eyes glittered with something to akin to rage and zeal mixed in one expression and it was a terrifying thing to witness. It left Sehun feeling uneasy. He had a nasty gut feeling telling him that the Universe was about to justify the uneasiness in him. 

"Are you fucking nuts? Do you plan on getting all of us killed? There is no way the other households would commit to such an idea." Kang Tae Moo protested loudly.

"You are welcome to sit it out if you aren't confident enough for this sort of strategy. The Mafia will rescue you... eventually." Kai smirked.

"Kim fucking Kai! You're abusing your power." 

"No, he isn't. I believe he wants the same outcome as you but you don't seem as desperate as he is, Tae Moo-sshi. Rather I think your sense of urgency is quite absent." The Emperor mused softly.

“Gentlemen, please… Your enthusiasm is bordering on nervous energy. Understand that we will divide the forces into vantage points. This is a strategy that obviously requires a little more thought and detail once we have finalised who will stand with us.”

“Do you see anyone in this room who opposes you, Kai-sshi?” The Emperor questioned politely.

“None are visible to me right now, sir, but I do need to know what each household is willing to risk and how far they wish to extend their efforts into pushing back the Emperor’s Sons. We have a threat on our doorstep and I want to have a clear idea of what I have to work with in terms of a vanguard, support and protection.” Kai replied smoothly, easily setting the tone of the room as he got his message across loud and clear.

“Well, it seems like you’re undaunted, Kim Kai-sshi.” The Emperor mused aloud.

“Hardly what you imagine. I’d like to think I’m prepared to tackle whatever the Emperor throws our way. I will not let the Master die or lose his household to the Emperor.” Kai stated with finality.

“I see.” He hummed as he stared at Kai.

Sehun leaned over, “I have a bad feeling, Kai. He’s being observant.”

“I can see that. It’s called blatant bait.” Kai ground out.

Sehun pursed his lips, thinning them into a tight line as he thought of what to do next. The room was too still and calm. Something was wrong. Sehun wrinkled his face when a bright light flashed him in the face from between the curtains. He barely caught it but he saw the murky shadow zoom part through the parted curtains.

He should have heard it but he caught it a moment too late.

He heard the zip sound, his head whipping towards the doors when he heard the glass crack, being the closest to the doors. He spotted the bullets in the thick glass.

“Get down for cover!” He barked the order, sliding under the table to curl against the heavy leg of the table before he managed to throw his arm over his eyes.

Nothing could have prepared Sehun for the next moment that erupted pure chaos around the room. There were screams from the people as they abandoned their chairs and ducked down as the glasses doors of the Sky Tower’s balconies shattered on impact in on the conference room. He felt the shards of glass rain down on him.

“Fuck…” He gritted his teeth.

It was then Sehun chanced removing his arm from covering eyes and he caught the flash of a very strong light that flashes across the whole conference room.

The conference that was once a dignified meeting space was now a mess of dust and glass as the wind howled, creating a draught in the room.

“Kai!” Sehun cried out, “Shit… Kai! Is the Master okay?”

“The Master is fine.” Kai was fast enough to rough handle the Master behind him and shoved him to the floor with his jacket thrown over the Master's head for a safe measure. While Kai was ducking, he managed to yank out the gun from the holster around his ankle. Kai apologised but it fell on deaf ears when the Master pulled out his own firearm, making a start to get to his feet.

“Kai! We’ve got to get some of the curtains open. We’re going to fucking die if we stay blinded.” Sehun called out, already sprinting for the curtains next to the shattered doors. He threw it open and caught the bright flash again.

“Fuck. Can you hear that?” Sehun hissed, hearing the deafening sound of blades cutting through the air.

“A fucking helicopter!” Jaehwan growled, surfacing from under the table with a gun in hand – much to the dismay of the Mafia heirs who were trembling, holding onto shiny unused guns with a white knuckled grip. “We can’t flip this fucking whale of table so we’re fucked if they’re going to open fire on us.”

“Fuck… that sounds like more than one helicopter.” Kai hissed.

“How the fuck do you expect us to defend against the chance of open fire?” Shin Eun Jung screeched.

“You improvise!” Hongbin called out as he had dropped down to his knees, using the swivel backrest as his his bullet shield. The other slaver Kings did the same, helping whoever was not armed. Jiya curled behind Tae who had a revolver in his hand while Siobhan held another small firearm.

“That’s asking for a bit much. Not everyone is armed to take on a fucking helicopter.” Tae snarled, not liking how cornered he felt.

“Then just do your best to stay alive!” Kai ordered when he dashed for another set of curtains. But the helicopters moved again, rounding Sky Tower ominously.

“They might not open fire yet!” Sehun shouted.

Not while they risk the chance of hurting the Emperor.

“Figures the traitor would know that.” Tae ground out the snappy words.

“So not the fucking time for this, blondie.” Sehun turned back to swear at Tae.

Sehun threw open another set of curtains and found the helicopter rounding closer to the west side of the tower. His breath hitched when he was met with the strong beam of light over his eyes but he shut his eyes and whirled on his heel, slamming his back against the marble pillar between the large windows for cover when he came face to face with the hovering bird.

“Kai! Those curtains on the east side! The second one is mostly like going to mirror this one. Everyone stay out of its range.” Sehun called out, pulling out the three pieces of his gun before putting them together to assemble the weapon.

Kai was already dashing and made a grab for the curtains. He yanked at the curtains, tearing it down with its curtain rod.

“Fuck…” Kai threw his arm up to shade his eyes from the blinding beam, taking two steps back in the process.

“Did you fucking see those guns? That’s militia level artillery. I’ve seen those fuckers... in fucking war zone areas. You know Kabul and Gaza kind of shit. It’s a swivel mount for long range shooting.” Sehun hissed as he dared to peek his head to the side to see the helicopter again.

“Sehun, we’re about to get company!” Kai spat the words when he saw the helicopter turn on its side, the door slid open revealing the Dragons.

“Shit… We’ve got to deal with this one too! They’re both turning.”

“They’re probably here to retrieve their insider.” Tae growled as he crossed to the center to the room to get a look without being blinded by the flashing lights of the helicopter, “Isn’t that fucking right, Sehun?”

“If we survive this fucking attack, I'll end him myself.” Sehun spat, ignoring Tae’s shit eating grin, as he gripped his gun tightly before turning his attention back to the helicopter on his side.

“Fuck!” Sehun caught sight of Kim Jonghyun, who in turn realised this and waved at Sehun before he pulled out another sniper rifle.

“Fucking get down, they’re coming in through this window.” Sehun called out to the room.

“Same here! They’re going to bust the East side windows further. The balcony doors are off target. Get to the centre of the room.” Kai hissed, turning back to direct whatever of the security was able as everyone else braced another shower of glass.

The conference room was a cacophony of noise between the shattering of glass and the deafening roar of the rotating blades of the helicopters. Sehun and Kai who brace on either side of the room shrunk against the marble pillars, sinking down to the floor with the knees to their chest while covering their eyes and hissed as the glass rained down in the room.

The room was quiet when the glass had finally settled, bringing nothing but the howling wind from the chopper birds and the cold of the evening.

“Is everyone okay? Is anyone severely hurt?” Kai called out, listening to the garbled responses but everyone was fine aside cuts and bruises.

Sehun brushed the glass of him and chanced a glance at the Dragon who blew the west side of the tower open.

“Fuck. We’re fucked. Who else did they send if both the Dragons are in that one?” Sehun swore as he got up, spotting Key, tinkering with the belt around his waist. 

Kai spotted a guy on the East helicopter with a gun that he didn’t recognise, set on his shoulder. He narrowed his eyes to figure out what was about to happen before he went wide eyed.

“Incoming zip line! They’re probably going to use the fucking table as their anchor.” Kai backed up a few steps and cleared space before the zip line shot through the room, landing its heavy claw embedded in the dense wood. Four more zip lines shot into the conference room from both sides, two each respectively.

“Where the fuck did they get this arsenal? That’s fucking titanium tensile cables.” Sehun swore as he watched the cables wobbling for a few seconds before militia men came through the burst windows, dressed in heavy duty black combat gear brandishing heavy artillery and their tags of the Emperor’s Sons insignia on them. They flanked the room sides, immediately taking out the mafia troops who were in charge of security.

Once they cleared the room of the security, they halted their fire, training their guns on the household heads but waiting on orders while two deviated from the lot to secure the doors, blocking the only exit route in the whole room.

The Dragons had slid in last, landing on the table.

“Sorry for barging in unannounced but we’re actually here to pick someone up!” Kim Jonghyun called out as he unclipped himself from the zip line.

Kang Tae Moo growled and aimed his gun, having a clear line set to shoot Jonghyun through the temple but the older Dragon caught it and whipped out a throwing blade, propelling it effortlessly across the room as he disarmed the Kang heir.

“Let’s not try that again, Kang Tae Moo… unless you want the next blade in your chest…” He grinned, his grey eyes flashing silver, promising more than the maniac grin across his face.

Kai had already sprinted closer to the Master, covering should they want to take him.

Sehun glared at the Dragons before he dashed forward to the edge of the table. He was stopped before he could hop onto the table top. Key had kicked him down.

Sehun landed with a grunt, landing on his back while Key edged closer to the lip of the table, looking down on the younger where he had fallen and cooing at him, “Do you know how mean you look, even as you lie there? I don’t get why you’re so mad. You were right. We were coming tonight. Just as you had suspected.” He smirked as he hopped down, a heavy dusty boot landing on either side of Sehun’s torso.

Key squatted pressing the muzzle of his gun to Sehun’s temple. Sehun pulled out a knife, pressing the flat of the blade against Key’s inner forearm that held the gun.

“You spend all your time covering for me even when your Emperor played me for this fucking meeting to happen?” Sehun had the nerve to give Key a wrecked smile as if the Emperor wasn’t watching their exchange. 

Key gave a pinched look, "You would have been killed. Ending you would be the end of our easiest route to the Master. Sorry, brat. You were just business to us." Key’s expression falters with those words but he fixes Sehun with a hard stare. 

“Congrats. The Emperor has what he wants. I’ve done my part of this deal.” Sehun snarled out.

He heard laughter and Sehun's head whips in the direction of the Emperor's voice.

“Indeed you have, little one. I’m very proud of you. You will get what’s due to you…” Han Jae Joon grinned and he got up onto the table.

“Master Lee Hyun Woo, would you like to take a seat…” The Emperor flashed a dangerous smile as he motioned for the Master’s chair.

“Han Jae Joon, what is the meaning of this?” The Master looked blank before he fell into the chair as his bodyguards were shot dead before him. All he could comprehend was Han Jae Joon walking the length of the table, standing before him with a hungry look in his eyes. The Master gave a barking laugh before he raised his gun. The entire room’s tension thickened when the clicks of safeties on the guns were heard. The Emperor barked out his order for his men to stand down.

"He won't shoot." The Emperor's lips curve in triumph, as if he read the Master, "Because it's bad manners... Isn't that right?"

“You underestimate me, boy.” The Master hissed his words out.

“Fuck… do you even hear yourself?” The Emperor cut him off, “Underestimate? You?” The Emperor met the Master’s eyes defiantly, challenging him.

"What the fuck are you waiting for? Shoot him!" Kang Tae Moo cried.

The Emperor clucked his tongue, "Having such a trigger happy force in your inner ring speaks poorly. Especially the kind who is hell bent on revenge that he can't pursue by himself." The Emperor tilted his head to look over his shoulder, glaring at the youth before flicking a wrist.

One of the militia men had approached Kang Tae Moo and struck him across the jaw with the butt of his gun, knocking out the heir on the spot - making others in the room a little more frayed in their nerves.

"So where were we? Ah… yes, I believe you were trying to shoot me." The Emperor continued with a devious expression, pleased with how tense the atmosphere seemed.

"If you're dying for a bullet, I'd be happy to oblige you." Tae snarked, hopping up onto the table and getting in the Emperor's face with quick strides.

The Emperor pulled out a gun from his maroon suit and pointed it at Tae, “Maybe you would reconsider, Young Master Lee Min.”

“Don’t fucking point that shit at me as if I’m here to be collateral.” Tae snickered, purposely tilting his head to stick his temple against the Emperor’s gun barrel, his blonde hair falling over his face, matching the wrecked smile on his plump lips.

The Emperor regarded the Lee Heir in silence, levelling the single blue eye, staring back at him. He almost tasted the thirst and desire reflected in the depths of the blueness of the Lee Heir's eyes on his own tongue. 

"Oho?" The Emperor's eyes widened just a bit before he blinked pointedly, canting his head almost thoughtfully and laughed.

“I like him, Lee Hyun Woo.” He commented to Lee Hyun Woo as he pulled his gun away.

“Han Jae Joon, your organisation will fail to take the Undercity. This Mafia. This city. Everything. They will reject you.” 

“Han Jae Joon died when you sent the Hans to die in your stead, Master Lee Hyun Woo. If you’re so desperate to learn a name to curse at, I’d gladly reintroduce myself to the Inner Circle.” He smirked as he backed away and turned on his heel.

“Kim Jaejoong. Leader of the Emperor’s Sons and soon to be head of the Undercity Mafia. Everyone has affectionately dubbed me the Emperor. I gladly stake this exposure of my identity as my declaration of war. I have grown tired of playing with espionage tactics. I do hope you entertain me before I take this city.” He introduced loudly, confidently and firmly.

“You will be eaten alive by this city, Kim Jaejoong.” The Master uses the name like a slur, “This city breeds beasts hungrier than you. I don’t think you are as desperate as what harbours and lurks in my mafia.” The Master raises the gun and aims at Jaejoong’s back.

“Jjong! Disarm the Master!” Key growled as he purposely pinned Sehun down who immediately started to thrash out of Key’s grip.

Jonghyun threw another blade, cutting the Master across the back of his aiming hand, effectively dropping the gun while his hand bled profusely.

“Get the fuck off me, Key!” Sehun snarled, jerking and scuffling to find a way out of the lock he was put in, “Kai!”

Kai turned his gun on Key, ready to shoot but the Emperor commands the room.

“Cease all attacks on both sides for tonight. We have plenty of time to get at each other’s throats but we will not do so tonight.” He simply stated, “Key. Jjong.” He called out.

Key and Jonghyun immediately were at the Emperor’s side, handing him a cable to clip onto the harness under his suit jacket.

“It was fun. I like how earnest and unprepared you are. This war should be entertaining at most, if not dismally one sided.” Jaejoong had the audacity to look pleased with the outcome of the evening.

“The Yakuza will find out about this.” Kai mentioned and he smirked when he saw the dirty black look that the Emperor shot at him.

“You use that like a scare tactic… I fail to see those words have weight against me…” The Emperor argued the point calmly but the pinch in his eyebrows told Kai more than enough.

“The leave, Kim Jaejoong. There is a war to prepare for. I believe we’ll have a whole party bag of problems for you in the near future.” Kai tipped his head to the Emperor, the corners of his mouth lift as he taunted the Emperor.

“I look forward to this.” Kim Jaejoong canted his head to the side, accepting Kai’s challenge, “Are you coming with, Sehun?” He asked, checking his watch before extending a hand.

“No.” Sehun spat, his lip bleeding at the corner from rough housing with Key.

“You will always come back to the Emperor’s Sons. You don’t know it just yet. In fact, everyone in this room will if they don’t die by my hand. It’s just a matter of time.” The Emperor stated before he escaped via the west side of the Sky Tower zip line.

The Emperor’s militia men followed suite leaving the Dragons in the room surrounded by the Mafia.

“We could make a mess before leaving, Key.” Jonghyun had three blades resting in the gaps between his gloved fingers.

“No. And since Sehun declined coming with us, we’re done here.” Key huffed as he kicked off and left the building on the zip line.

“Ahh pity… I wanted to play more especially when we’re starting the fireworks in ten minutes.” He grinned as he kicked off the edge of the the building.

The broken and messy conference room was stunned into silence.

“C’mon, everyone, we need to get off this floor altogether. I don’t like the idea of fireworks right now.” Kai ordered after he finished wrapping the Master’s hand with his handkerchief.

* * *

It wasn’t until Kai and Sehun had secured the Inner Circle in the private lounge across the street that the pent house levels of Sky Tower went up in flames.

“So that’s what happens when you meet the Emperor…” Kai nodded sagely.

“Yup.” Sehun sighed.

“I get the grand entrance of two helicopters and two Dragons but why the bombs?” Kai mulled over the thought as Sehun poured him a neat two finger drink of bourbon when everyone had finally dispersed.

“As the richest hospitality industrialist in this city, I would imagine that Sky Tower is his competition. It was the tallest in the Undercity… Until he put up the Oasis Towers. If there is anything I’ve learnt about the Emperor, it is that when he sets his eyes on something, he either desires to control it or destroy it.” Sehun hummed, savouring the warmth of the bourbon.

“So the fucker already took the opportunity to start redecorating? That’s is astoundingly ambitious.” Kai gave a broken laugh, pressing the rim of the glass to his temple.

“The Emperor is ambition, Kai. He’s… thorough when he acts on something.” Sehun smirked, watching people flood the street as they poured out of Sky Tower because of the fire.

“Clearly… More.” Kai surmised before he extended his glass to Sehun.

“Am I your bartender?” Sehun scoffed, already uncorking the bourbon with his teeth before pouring a heavy handed double shot into Kai’s glass. Sehun had let go of the cork between his teeth, it falling into his palm neatly before he sat on top of the bar next to where Kai had been seated, staring up the burning skyscraper.

“Absolutely. You’re stuck with me until we close this place down.” Kai murmured before his eyebrows shot up when the tower gave a wild flare of fire followed by a thick plumes of smoke.

“Look at that…” Sehun whistled, “So what’s our next move?”

“We need to flush out the Mafia about Min. There were too many mixed reactions tonight regarding Tae.” Kai hummed.

“You mean Lee Jaehwan?” Sehun’s mouth thinned into a tight line.

“He knows something.”

“You think he’ll have a clue about Min?”

“Not entirely but he knew Min and he definitely knew that who he saw tonight wasn’t Min…” Kai lets the glass rim press against his lower lip, taking in the blaze of red that flashes over their window, casting heavy tones of red into the warm saffron hue lit room.

“He obviously dug for what we planted. He knows we’re looking for someone. The trojan Jiya had loaded was terminated last night according to Luhan.” 

“Hmm… I don’t think we can shy from it if Lee Jaehwan asks. It may be of help. He knows people that even the mafia doesn’t have the… social grace to be civil with.”

“You want in with the Yakuza? Without the Rising Phoenix finding out?”

“I can take my chances with the Rising Phoenix but do you want Shim Changmin breathing down your neck for supposedly losing his newest pet to dote on?” Kai scoffed.

“Is there a reason why we aren’t exploiting Viper’s Den resources?”

“We can’t. Jaehwan can.” Kai answered immediately.

“You’ve been thinking about this hard and long…”

“Would have been a little more organised if Kang Tae Moo and Ahn Jae Hyun knew how to shut up and actually let people spill shit when they feel chatty… It’s hard to extract information and drown out noise like them at the same time…” Kai slid his glass until it stopped against Sehun’s thigh, “Refill.”

Sehun paused to frown before he nodded and poured for Kai.

“You missed him tonight…” Sehun mused quietly. There was a pause before Kai answered with a quiet “Yes.”

“Whipped.” Sehun snarked softly, no heat in his words.

“You wouldn’t get it. I saw Jiya sneak out at the same time you left for your smoke break. Had fun?” Kai asked sarcastically, knowing it took a turn for the worst.

“Yeah… I love getting smacked across the face.”

“Wild…” Kai commented, making Sehun snort in response, “No, seriously… what happened?”

“Pretty much what’s supposed to happen at this point. Too many accusations on both sides. We got into it and she slapped me and walked away.”

“Tough. Even after that lazy morning lie in?” Kai sneaks a glance at Sehun, watching the blonde’s expression morph from frustration to bitter regret.

Sehun doesn’t respond but the the way he drained his glass is telling to Kai. He sighed, letting them fall into silence.

“Hey Sehun… I have a question.”

“Hm?” Sehun acknowledged Kai’s request.

“Does this mean you’re free? He won’t threaten you with my life anymore?”

“Not like he has the right to do so now… He owes me a favour…” Sehun tossed back the last mouthful of liquid in his glass before turning to Kai, “So… we fight the Emperor?” 

When Sehun set his glass down, he watched Kai who had been rotating the glass in his grasp lightly, swirling the liquid unconsciously as he had been staring blankly, deep in thought. He had blinked before he raised the glass to his lips, pausing for a moment to allow the ruthless smile spread across his face.

“We fight the Emperor.” Kai confirmed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oi oi oi, you can't leave this chapter without some type of comment ;)
> 
> Seriously... let me know, rant, scream or yaknow leave kudos.

**Author's Note:**

> Ayyyyyyyyyee. 
> 
> I AM BACK TO RUIN LIVES WITH THIS SERIES. 
> 
> My hiatus is technically over and restructuring of Stained Petals is well... not complete but mostly done. Basically most of my characters disagreed with the original plot line and threw me for a loop, wanting to do other (really awesome things) and stretched my hiatus longer than anticipated.


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